Never going back
by Orion Tarvers
Summary: Hermione and Draco are head girl and boy, what happens when one falls for the other and the other....well the other has other obligations. pls R
1. Home sweet home

_I could be mean  
__I could be angry  
__You know I could be just like you _

_I could be fake  
__I could be stupid  
__You know I could be just like you_

_You thought you were sitting beside me  
__Your were only in my way  
__You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

_You thought you were there to guide me  
__You were only in my way  
__You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

Draco Malfoy sat in his fathers study, rolling brandy in the snifter his father had handed him minutes ago.

"Why am I here?" he asked, bored with looking at his father.

"The Dark Lord wishes you to meet him next week, Draco." Lucius said from across the desk that separated father from son. "I have told him you would be honored to meet him." he followed up, when his word's bounced off of his son.

"I have plan's next week." Draco answered, sighing, before bringing the glass up to his lips to take a sip. He winced at the taste, he'd never get used to it.

"Excuse me?" his father said softly, one well groomed eyebrow arching.

"I'm busy. Maybe next month." the younger Malfoy answered, almost rolling his eyes but thinking better of it.

"I don't think you heard me, _SON_." Lucius said, standing up and rounding the desk to stand next to the well worn leather chair his offspring occupied. "I've been waiting for your eighteenth birthday for next week. You will be there, if I have to put the Imperius on you."

"I said I'm busy, _FATHER_." The young wizard was far past the point of boredom and made to get up.

"You will stay seated until I dismiss you." His father, no sperm donor was the best fitting term for him, snarled at him, pushing the head of his cane painfully into his shoulder.

"Sorry." he mumbled, rubbing the sore spot his fathers cane had created.

"What did you say?" His father asked, the hate not leaving his voice.

"Nothing." Draco answered, looking up at his father.

Malfoy's never apologized, never.

"Leave." He heard his father say with disgust in his voice.

Draco stood up and left, not bothering to leave the glass on the table. He walked out of the study and up the two flight's of stair's necessary to reach his room. He sighed before opening the door, knowing what he'd find within the doors.

"Leaving must young master be." the squeaky voice of Daster, his house-elf, said from the foot of the bed.

"Daster, are my things packed?" Draco asked as he looked around the room. It was almost bare, a welcome site to him. The less he'd have to come back for at the end of the year.

"Yes, young master." Daster said, bowing away and cowering to the corner of the room.

"Has mail come?" he asked, knowing it had but wanting something to talk to.

"Yes, young master." was the reply.

"Where is it?" he asked, his eye's resting on the stack of mail that was making it's home on his desk.

"On the desk of young master, it be."

Draco glanced over to the corner then made his way to the desk. He picked up the fist letter and rolled his eyes at the seal it bore on its back. Parkison. He threw the letter onto the desk and went to the next one. Hogwarts. He knew what it said already but his still pulled his chair out and sat. Opening the letter he was greeted with Dumbledore's hand writing.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_It is my great honor to inform you that you have been awarded the position of Head Boy. You are required to return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry one week prior to the rest of the school's return. During this week you will be meeting with myself and the other professors and Head Girl to plan this years agenda. If you have any questions please contact me by owl or wait until you've returned to the school. You will be taking the Hogwart's Express, please be on time, 11:00 a.m. I look forward to seeing you, Mr. Malfoy._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

Draco smiled as a ticket fell out along with a badge. He folded up the letter and placed it aside. He only had two day's to be there. He picked up the next one, Parkinson again. He went threw it next to the other letter and went through the rest of the letters.

"Get my things ready to go Daster. I'm leaving tonight." he said, standing up and pocketing several letters and destroying the rest with a simple spell.

"Yes young master. Going where are you to?"

"Hogwarts." he answered, picking the badge up from the table along with his ticket and shoving them into his pocket along with the letters.

He walked to the door and picked up his wand from the table beside it. He stopped and turned as he opened the door and stepped out. It was the last time he was planning on ever seeing this place again. He thought about his father's face when he would finally realized what Draco's plans were. He smiled and closed the door, knowing this year was going to be interesting.

_You're wrong if you think that I'll be just like you_

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**This is something I've been meaning to write down. Leave me some reviews so I know that ya'll like it.**


	2. The Talk

I don't own anything.....sniff lol. Hope you like it!_

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_Trying hard to reach out  
But when I'd try to speak out  
Felt like no one could hear me  
Wanted to belong here  
But something felt so wrong here  
So I pray  
To break away_

"Draco, all though I am flattered you would seek me in your... time of need, I'm busy." Severus Snape told his godson, before making to close the door.

"You don't understand! I need your help." the young wizard said, his foot stopping the door from closing.

"Oh, but I do. You're father flooed me not to long ago. Told me you'd left without so much as a note." the usually uncaring potion's master told his godson with great disappointment in his voice. "As I said before, I'm honored you've chosen me to visit but I'm busy."

"Godfather! Listen to me. He want's me to join, next week!" Draco explained, pleading as much as a Malfoy ever would.

"What?" That got the man's attention.

"He told me that... HE... wants to speak with me." he further explained now that he captured Snape's attention.

"Come in." Snape said with a deep sigh. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his oversized nose.

"I don't know, but I can't stay there anymore. Help me find a place to stay." Draco asked, sitting down before the fire.

"How did you get here? Students don't return to the school for another week."

"I'm head boy." Draco said casually, the title already losing it's luster.

"Don't be to excited." he heard his godfather mutter.

"Can you help me or not?" he was getting on edge.

"Go meet with Dumbledore. I'll figure something out."

With that Draco stood and walked out the potion masters quarters. He walked up to the gargoyle and waited for it to spring aside.

"Twizzle sticks." a voice from behind him supplied.

"Thank...oh, it's you." Draco said turning to find Granger standing behind him.

"You're welcome, you un-great full ferret." she shot back before pushing him aside and walking up the stone steps that led to the Headmasters chambers.

"What are you doing here, Granger?" he asked, as he followed her to the top.

"I could as you the same question." he heard in answer.

"I'm head boy, incase you didn't know." he answered, puffing up his chest, even though the effect was wasted on her.

"No." she said, stopping suddenly, causing him to run into her. "No you're not." she said again.

"Yes, I am. Keep walking Granger I don't have all day." he said, pushing her back not to lightly.

"Watch it Malfoy. I could have fallen." she hissed to him as they stood before the Headmasters door.

"Please, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Granger, enter. We have much to talk about." The voice of the old Headmaster filtered from nowhere.

"Open the door, Granger." Draco demanded from behind the bushy haired witch.

Draco sighed then looked closer at the head in front of him. He was wrong about the bushy part. Her hair looked like it had a mind of it's own, one that finally caught up on, what must be, piles of fashion magazines.

"Good morning Headmaster." Granger's cheery voice.

"Good morning to you too, Ms. Granger. I trust everything is well Mr. Malfoy?" the old man asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, everything's fine." the boy huffed, sitting down to listen to the, no doubt, boring speech that was coming.

"Well as you both of you are well aware, the school year is almost upon us. As head's you will be required to work together when ever the occasion arises. You will share a common room, bathroom, small kitchen, exercise room, and pool. As Head boy and girl you will also be giving assignments to the prefects having to do with hall duties and such. You, along with the prefects, will be in charge of the ball's that are held. There will be certain things left up to teachers but in all you are in control in the aspect. I expect you both the get along with each other." the Headmaster said, suddenly turning serious. "I do not wish to hear about fight's in the corridors, I do not wish to deal with such childish behavior. If something should arise, both of you will be demoted to prefect and a new Head boy and girl will be appointed." he finished, dividing his calm gaze to each of the children before him.

"I'm fine with it sir." Granger said, always the kiss up.

"Whatever." Draco answered, flicking a piece of lint from his robe.

"That is all for now. Winky will show you to your quarters." Dumbledore said, standing and motioning the head's to follow the house-elf out of the room.

After the door had closed Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk to think about what he'd just done.

"Have I created a disaster, or am I to brilliant to understand myself just yet." he wondered to himself.

Only time would tell.

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**I know this chap is short and i'm sorry for it but I think it's prety good. leave some lovely reviews to give me inspiration lol. Hope ya liked it!!**


	3. Common Room

Don't own anything...still, probably going to stay that way for a while too.

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_Well you're saying that you're playing.  
Well you're saying that you're playing but you're faking.  
Well you're swinging to the rhythm pointing to the good looking.  
But it's coming to the surface you're only crossing and fading.  
Well you're expecting to look sharp and needing to have class.  
But all I can see is you nodding your head fast.  
Thinking you're impressing everybody when you look bored.  
But I'm knowing what you're doing is proving you're a big fraud.  
_

Hermione couldn't believe her luck. When Draco, _yes it must be Draco now_, she thought sadly, had told her why he was there so early she'd denied it. She couldn't believe it, it was simply impossible. The boy had no qualities whatsoever that would even put him on the list to be Head boy. She was mad, really mad. The fact that the bouncing ferret, _no Draco now, _was bounding down the step's behind her and pushing her to go faster ever other step didn't help her outlook on the situation.

"Malfoy! If you push me one more time I'm going to.." she started, only to be cut off by the smug faced Slytherin rasing an eyebrow at her.

"You'll what get us both demoted?" he asked smoothly, like how his 'fall' down the stairs would go with no witnesses around to see it.

"I..I, nothing." she said, hating the thought that he made her tongue tied.

She was a reasonable girl, no reason for her to blow her top over something as simple as...

"Stop pushing me! I'm going to fall if you keep it up!" she hissed at him again, noting the smirk he usually kept on lock on his face absent, replaced with a look of mild confusion.

"Then move down the stairs, Granger. You've been standing there for an hour." he said with a unnecessary sigh, he completed the bored five year old act with an eye roll.

"Don't over-dramatize things, Malfoy." she muttered, once again taking up the task of getting down the stairs without hexing the wizard behind her.

"I don't over-dramatize." he complained the last few steps.

"Then you don't, either way... shut up." she said before turning around and walking to the portrait for the Head's common room.

"A lion and a snake?" he asked from behind her.

What was he, a lost puppy that followed the first person he saw.

"Excellent deduction, Malfoy." she said, rolling her eyes and waiting for him to retort, which he did.

"That makes no sense, the snake would bite the lion, injecting it with it's poison then eat it after it dies." the bundle of sunshine said, now standing beside her.

"Well aren't you just the welcome wagon." she said turning to face him. "It's supposed to symbolize the houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor living in peace with each other, she explained carefully.

"Well I can see that, Granger. It's just idiotic that the old bat would even think that would depict reality.

"Alright it's been lovely getting to know you. I'll see you at the first meeting for the ball." she called over her shoulder as she headed to her room.

"That's in a month." he called after her.

"That's the idea." she called back, reaching her door and opening it to view the room she'd left to go to the meeting in Dumbledore's office.

She'd been there for a couple day's, learning about the castle first hand instead of a book, that was now, believe it or not, was collecting dust on her desk. She heard muffled voices from the common room she and the... the thing shared. It was to early for Pansy to be here, she thought. She went to the door and peeked out, startled to find a head in the fireplace, talking to Malfoy. She looked a little closer to see the head was Lucius Malfoy, his voice raised the longer he talked to his offspring.

"You will be joining us, _Son._" he said in a matter of fact voice.

"Father, I'm in school. I couldn't possibly get away from school work every time that....thing..."

"The Dark Lord!" his father roared at him.

"Yeah, 'Dark Lord'" the younger Malfoy continued "has an itch that needs scratching, or something else that need's tended to. I'm not a servant, _Father_." he finished, smirking as his father's head started to turn a horrible shade of red, from the fire she was sure.

Hermione sighed and decided to make her presence known. She stepped out of her room and called to Malfoy before walking fully into the room.

"Malfoy, do you know where the bathroom is?" she asked, not knowing why she was getting him out of a very uncomfortable situation.

He looked at her with disgust and then turned to his father again.

"As you see, I have something to do. Go away." he spat at his fathers head.

"I hope your hair catches fire." she muttered to herself.

"Draco, you told me the mudblood was gone." his father said with such venom that a balisk would quake in his path.

"No, I said she left the room." the boy said from behind her, smirking at his father.

Before anything else could be said the head disappeared and Hermione was left staring at an empty fireplace.

"Why are you out here, Granger?" he asked, knowing she wasn't looking for the bathroom when she went to sit on the couch.

"You needed help, you were in trouble." she said, wondering if she'd done the right thing.

"You thought I, Draco Alexander Malfoy, needed help?" he asked, apparently stunned.

"Well, yeah." she said after a hesitation. This wasn't Harry or Ron. Why had she done that. "Your father was yelling at you!" she defended, her chin going up a couple of notches.

"Listen to me, Granger. Never interfere like that again. It will be the last thing you do." he said, his accusing finger inches away from her face.

"Wouldn't dream of it, you arrogant prat." she said, her voice raising before she got off the couch. "I'm leaving before this goes any further."

"Ever get tired of taking the high road, Granger?" he asked, almost serious.

"Ever get tired of hanging on daddy's purse strings?" she shot back, totally serious.

"What are you talking about, Granger?" he roared at her, looking much like his father.

"That's the only possible explanation for you being Head boy, Malfoy!" she answered calmly. "I've seen you do no work in class, it doesn't make sense for you to be head boy when there are so many other boy's that deserved it." she continued, gauging his reaction the whole time.

"Well, Granger, look's like smart's do wear off in time. I'm top in our year, mudblood." he said with a liberal hint of pride in his voice.

"You mean second, Ferret, right behind me." she said smoothly before exiting to her room.

She smiled as she closed the door to her room and leaned on it. She'd done it. Finally told that over grown rat exactly what she'd thought. He didn't show the emotion but she was sure he was angry with her. '_Good_' she thought to herself, '_now he know's how I feel all the time_.'

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Theres the newest chapter. The song was Steriogram 'on and on' incase you were wondering. leave some reviews for me pleaes:)!!!


	4. The Truce

I'm doing something that's a little overdue..

xputteckx- Thanks for dropping a line, I like using different lyrics to almost explain the chapter.

bigred20- I'm going to keep it coming for a long time so no worries lol. thanks for reviewing.

Beach-Babi- I hope you do like this story, it's really fun to write.

lilpsycho14- Three days Grace is really hot. I wish I could use more of their lyrics.

urges- I shall write more so don't worry.

Ihearttomfelton- I too heart Tom Felton lol, thank you for the review.

Now, I hope you guys' like this chapter as much as you've liked the last three, this was fun to write so I hope you have fun reading it!

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She took me down and said:  
"boy's like you are overrated. So save your breath."  
Loaded words and loaded friends  
are loaded guns to our heads_

_cause every pain of glass that your pebbles tap  
negates the pains I went through to avoid you  
and every little pat on the shoulder for attention fails to mention I still hate you_

_You want apologies  
girl, you might hold your breath  
until your breathing stops forever, forever  
the only thing you'll get  
is this curse on your lips:  
I hope they taste of me forever_

Draco sat in his room, thinking about the conversation the Head girl had broken up. He could have taken care of himself if she would have let him. He hated looking weak in front of some one.

"Malfoy, get out here." A muffled voice came from the common room.

"Granger." He said with disgust. "What do you want?" he asked, not moving from his position.

"Get out here now!" He heard her scream.

"If you're going to yell at me I should just stay here." He called back, hearing something thud against the portrait of his dorm. "I hope you hurt yourself." He muttered, rolling off of his bed and making his way to the door.

He opened the door and saw Granger sitting on the floor in front of his portrait, holding a bare foot in her hands.

"Don't touch your feet. That's disgusting." He said before looking away and walking into the common room.

He didn't hear her anything so he assumed she knew better then to ask for help up.

"What did you need, Granger?" he asked taking a seat on the couch.

"Dumbledore's here, he wants to talk to us." She answered, walking into the common room and looking at the fireplace, where the Headmaster's head was currently calling the fireplace home.

"Oh, hello sir." Draco said, grabbing a pillow to lay his head on. "What brings you here on such a lovely day?" he continued, getting distracted by Granger walking in front of him to sit beside him, not to close though.  
"A portrait had come to hear of yelling in the Head common room." The old man said with a sigh. "I realize that you both have differences but at least try to get along for a week, this week, or I will be forced to remove you." His voice was tired.

"Sorry, professor." Draco said, actually feeling ashamed with himself.

"I'm sorry too." He heard the Gryffindor beside him add.

"Good day." Was all the Headmaster said before his head left the fireplace.

"He heard you, probably. You're voice carries." Draco said, smirking as he saw her face turn four shades of red.

"I'm going to go away from you now." She stated, already half way to her room.

"Fine!" He called after her, not liking the fact she could have gotten the last word.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair; this year was going to be a long one. He got up and walked to the door that led to the bathroom. While Granger had gone off before he'd explored. They had a kitchen with weird looking things on the top of the counters.

"Get out!!!!" Draco heard as he opened the door and stepped into the shared bathroom.

"Oh God." He managed to get out before slamming the door shut.

He just walked in on Granger. She was in the bath, well just stepping into it, it looked. She wasn't as bad as he thought she was although her back was facing him. The way she wore all those big clothes you'd think she'd be as big as a hippogriff. She was trim, more so then any girl he'd seen before. She had a mark on the small of her back but that was all he saw as far as flaws went. He sat down in the common room and stared at the fireless fireplace. It was boring work, waiting.

"Next time you ever want to come into the bathroom, knock." He heard from behind him. He turned to see Granger, a towel wrapped around her hair and a heavy robe covering her from head to toe. She looked like McGonagall, the younger version.

"You should have said something!" he accused, knowing it was stupid of him to do so.

"Like what!? You just barged in, I didn't have time to say anything." She explained her hands going to her hips and her head swiveling a bit.

"Next time just tell me if you're going to use the bloody bathroom." He huffed.

It's not like he did it on purpose.  
"I'm not going though this year like this." She said throwing her arms in the air, her robe loosening a bit.

"Like what?" he asked, staring at the small opening her arm motions had made.

"Stop staring, you pervert." She said sharply before tugging the robe closed again. "Let's do a truce. We act civil to each other, in class, here, everywhere. We don't argue, no matter what and we keep manners, like knocking." She said ticking each item off with a finger.

"fine." He agreed, not having the mind to argue when she moved again and the robe opened a bit more, exposing the side of her right breast. "Your robes open." He said softly, trying to be civil.

"What?" she asked looking down. "Oh, thank you." He regretted telling her then because once again the robe was tightened. "So, Draco, from here on out we're friends." She said, thrusting her hand out towards him.

"Yeah, friends." He said, taking the offered hand and shaking it politely.

Draco stared at her until she turned red and marched off to her room. He replayed what had just happened in his mind and sighed.

"I hope I know what I'm getting into." He said to himself before going to the bathroom to take a shower, making sure to tell her he was in there before stripping down and hopping into the cold spray of water.

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Hoped you liked it! 


	5. The Letter

I don't own Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, well the list could go on and on. let's just say I own a computer.

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_I'm surrounded by liars everywhere I turn  
I'm surrounded by imposters everywhere I turn  
I'm surrounded by identity crisis everywhere I turn  
Am I the only one who noticed?  
I can't be the only one who's learned  
I don't want to be  
Anything other than what I've been trying to be lately  
All I have to do  
Is think of me and I have peace of mind  
I'm tired of looking 'round rooms  
Wondering what I've got to do  
Or who I'm supposed to be  
I don't want to be anything other than me  
Can I have everyone's attention please?  
If you're not like this and that, you're gonna have to leave  
_

Draco sat at the desk in his room. There were once again piles of letters on one corner. He reached out and pulled the top one off the stack turned it around to look at the seal. Pansy. He couldn't get away from the girl. She'd done things to people that made his stomach turn, not that her looks didn't help the process along. She'd been pretty as a child, he remembered, their families had lived next to each other for the longest time. But one day she came over and she'd....well, she'd gotten ugly. Her face resembled a pug dog, as he'd over heard people describe. She he didn't know what she'd done but it was something she'd never done again. He always thought she'd tried to help her look's along with her mothers wand and it backfired, badly he might add.

'Draky!!!! I can't believe you haven't owled me back all break! I'd say you didn't like me, but we all know that's impossible. I wish I could be with you right now, I miss you. Father said you're going to be getting the Dark Mark soon, is it true? I hope it is, can you imagine how it will boost your image, along with mine of course. I can't wait to see you baby. I'll keep my bed open just for you.

Your undying lover, the future Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy.'

The letter had stopped as suddenly as it had started. Draco shivered at the thought of ever being involved with her, her adding his last name to her's was also causing some gag reflexes. She was, what was the term muggle's used.... gold digging. Yeah, she was doing exactly that. He knew she'd sent him letters all summer, he'd never even bothered to open them. She must have gotten the hint and sent the polite howler. Damn her parent's for actually allowing her to learn how to read, then buying her books to help her learn more. If they would have shut her away, like he'd prayed they would many times, he wouldn't have to worry about her almost stalking him. It was unhealthy for anyone to do that. His thought's were interrupted by a loud banging on his door.

"Draco!!! Get yourself out here right now!" the muffled voice of Granger yelled.

"I didn't do anything." he to himself, trying to get himself out of fight back mode. "I'll explain it to her and she'll leave me alone." he continued, hoping he was right. "Yes?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Look what the dog sent to me!" the frazzled looking Gryffindor cried, thrusting a letter into his chest and letting it go before he could grab it.

Draco went to pick it up but didn't know if he should expose his neck to her incase she was carrying an ax or something, she looked like she would ax him and have no problem hiding the body.

"Umm..." he said, knowing it sounded stupid but nothing else would escape his lips.

"Well pick it up at least." she huffed, bending down to pick up the letter before the envelope was shoved into his chest once again.

"Sorry, come in." he muttered, hoping to any God listening that she'd decline.

"I think I will. I want to see your reaction. Plus I want to talk to you about this upcoming year." she announced, already past him and sitting on his bed.

"Make yourself at home, please, I insist." he said dryly before extracting the letter and reading it.

'Mudblood. I don't know why I'm wasting perfectly good parchment on **_YOU_** but I thought I would let you know before anything happened. Draco is **_MINE_**. He hate's you and so do I. I don't want you near him at anytime during the school term. If I catch near him I'll hex your overgrown hair into Hades. I hope you know that I'll be in your common room all the time and I'll make your life hell. I knew Draco would get Head boy, but I don't know why Dumbledore would pick a filthy mudblood like you to go along with him.

Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy.'

Draco sighed as he read the last name. She was demented. The girl really thought he was interested in her, that was very sad.

"I'm sorry for her. She doesn't know what she's talking about." Draco said as he folded the letter and handed it back to her.

"I didn't think you were aloud to get married while still in school." Hermione asked casually.

"I'm not, and never plan to be, married to Parkinson. She's revolting." he stated simply, hoping she wouldn't ask him explain further.

The fates were smiling on him for a minute, it seemed, because she let it drop. She now sat on his bed, staring at the floor like it was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

"You wanted to talk?" he prompted, pulling out the chair of his desk to sit across from her, his letters could wait.

"What is it going to be like when the school year starts?" she asked softly, looking up at him and meeting his eyes.

"What do you mean?" he replied, confused.

"How are people going to treat us when the find out we have to share a common room and stuff?" she extended her question.

"I don't know. Why should it matter? It's not like we're doing this because we want to. We have to." he answered, wincing as his word's hit his own ears. She'd likely blow now.

"But... I don't know, Malfoy. What if we lose friends and we only have each other to rely on?" she asked.

"I don't think that would happen." he answered the question with an eye roll as well.

"Well it could, you never know. I mean, I haven't told Harry and Ron yet. They know I'm Head girl but they don't know you're Head boy." she explained, she'd been thinking about this for a while it seemed.

"Who cares?" he asked, trying to get the thought of Weasel and Potty visiting his common room.

He didn't give her the answer she wanted, it seemed, because she snapped her chin up and her eyes started to spark.

"You of all people should know, Malfoy! You put me through hell all throughout school and now you're just willing to put the past away? Why don't you just tell me what you really think so I can try to get some rest." she snapped at him, her voice never wavering from the proud tone.

"You want to know what I think? I think it's bullshit that I have to be stuck here with you, when you can't even go one hour without complaining about something. I think you're hair's horrible, you're voice is annoying and you're habit of dwelling on things is simply nauseating! I can't ever see myself being friends with you because you cling to Potter and Weasel like their you're life line. I can't stand the fact that I'm stuck in a common room with you for the year!" he exploded, sick of hearing her complain about things. "Anything else you want be honest about?" he asked, daring her to answer.

"You're a horrible person, Malfoy!" she exclaimed before hopping off of his bed and running to the door.

"You asked what I thought." he called after her, knowing it wouldn't help her calm down.

He sighed when he heard a door slam shut. Maybe he shouldn't have said all of that. He walked out of his room and over to her portrait.

"Granger, are you okay?" he asked, casting a glance to the picture frames around the room's that thankfully still held their occupants.

"Go away!" he heard from the other side of the door.

"No! Open the door so we can talk." he insisted. Stepping back as he saw the portrait open slightly.

"Come in, but don't touch anything." she said with a small sniff.

"Fine, whatever." he answered, suddenly feeling stupid for making her open the door. He had no idea what to talk about with her. He had Goyle and Crabbe to talk to every day, what did he know about carrying a conversation without resorting to shouting?

* * *

I think I'm getting the hang of longer chapters lol. Hope you liked it! 


	6. The Hospital Wing

_I'm tired of playing games, of looking for someone else to blame  
for all the holes in answers that are clearly showing  
for something to fill the space, was all of the time I spent a waste  
'cause so many choices point the same way I was going _

so why does there only have to be one correct philosophy?  
I don't want to go and follow you just to end up like one of them  
and why are you always telling me what you want me to believe?  
I'd like to think that I can go my own way and meet you in the end

Draco stepped in the room and looked around. It was nothing like he thought it would be. Instead of Gryffindor color's infused in every available space, there was a blue or black. The walls were black, nothing like the walls in his room, which were sanitarium white.

"What did you want?" she asked, perched on the bed with a pillow clutched to her stomach.

"Umm…" was all that came out, and all that was probably going to come out for a while. "What do you have on?" he asked when she flung the pillow to the head of the bed and buried her face in it.

She answered but all he heard were mumbles. He took the time to look her over. She was wearing some type of shirt that doesn't have sleeve's, he had never seen anything like it. It showed off her back, which had a scar that started on her right shoulder blade and disappeared into the shirt. Looking at her leg's he saw a small scar at the top, where the short short's. Was it the same scar maybe? It looked like it was in the same place the scar would be if it continued all the way down her back. But then again, why should he care?

"Excuse me?" He asked, pulling the black pillow from under her head and throwing it aside.

"I'm wearing pajamas." She answered, looking up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Those are not night clothes." He announced to her.

"Yes they are. My mum bought them for me." She defended.

He looked down at her and sighed heavily. Her eyes were puffy and her nose was running. All in all she looked… disgusting.

"Wipe you're face mudblood." He demanded, the sentence leaving his mouth before he even processed it.

"Go away!" she moaned to him, falling back onto her bed and pulling another pillow under her head.

"I thought you didn't cry?" he asked, truly curious.

Every time he'd insulted her over the years, she either sat there at took it or hexed him. Well there was a slapping incident but that didn't count really, he wasn't even insulting her then. He honestly didn't think she could cry.

"Well I do. Can you go away now." It wasn't a question, more of a demand.

"no." he answered simply, pushing her legs over and sitting down of the edge of the bed.

"I told you not to touch anything!" she shrieked at him.

"Well excuse the hell out of me." He said sarcastically, not really caring that she felt put out, she was crying near him, making him feel put out. Never mind the fact he demanded entrance.

"Will you just leave?" she asked, at least that what he thought she said.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, some how caring a little bit about the answer.

"Why do you care?" she shot back, moving her head slightly to be heard better.

"Why are you answering a question with a question?" he countered, knowing she'd get mad, but a mad Granger was better then a crying Granger.

"Why are you here?"

He sighed and gave up trying to talk to her. He'd just study her room until she calmed down. He glanced around, trying to find a spot to start.

"What's this?" he asked going to her desk and picking up a box with her name written on it. It looked like it was already opened so he flicked the top off and looked inside. "Cookies?" he asked after picking one up and examining the chocolate chip covered exterior.

"Put those down! My mum sent them for **me!" **she yelled at him.

He was just looking over when the box was snatched from his hand as was the cookie.

"Get out." she demanded, the cookie that was once in Malfoy's possession now firmly in place between the Gryffindor's teeth.

"That was mine!" he whined, reaching for the box to get another one.

She twisted her body away and pointed to the door. The meaning to leave clear in her eyes.

"I'm going to get my cookie, Granger. One way or another."

With the threat hanging in the air, Draco turned and walked out of the Head girl's dorm. He sat on the couch, staring into the fire. He knew going in her room was a bad idea as soon as the door opened to let him in. Why had he gone in there? Before he could think another thought his fathers head popped into the fireplace, he didn't know how his father was doing it but he wished he would forget quickly.

"Draco." his father said in the normal impersonal tone.

"Father." he answered in kind, matching his fathers tone.

"Is the mudblood gone?" his voice was clipped and he sounded on edge, just a tad.

"No, she's in her room." he answered, hoping that would make him leave.

"Good this will only take a minute." no such luck it seemed. "I want you to not speak to the mudblood. She's dirty and will only bring you down. I don't want you to even look at her, she's a filthy excuse for a witch." his father started.

Draco knew his father would rant and rave for the better part of an hour so he sat back and tuned him out. Maybe if his father caught him with Granger he'd lay off him and deem him 'not worthy' to serve the pitiful excuse they call the 'Dark Lord'. Draco thoughts drifted to the girl in question, he'd tried to curb his use of mudblood for the past year. Only when he was very upset did he use it, and then he usually didn't remember it coming out of his mouth, but anyway's back to Granger. No... make that Hermione. She didn't really look as bad as he played her up to be when he thought about it. Her body had filled out nicely over the summer, from the glimpses he'd caught of her in the bathroom and then again on her bed. When he thought back to it, she'd actually looked like someone he'd want to go on with. Her eyes were a beautiful, the color of cinnamon, her hair complimented her eyes. Her nose was small, and was actually cute, when she wasn't crying. Then it turned a horrible shade of pink, he'd work on it though. Her mouth was alright. He'd never really seen it shaped properly to tell the truth. She always had a scowl fixed on her face when it was turned toward's him. So he had that to go on for now. If he played his card right he'd be rid of his father in a week's time all while driving Grang....Hermione mad, either for wanting him or for wanting to get away from him. It was a win/win. He could get the chance to break another girls heart while getting back at his father all at the same time.

"Draco Alexander Malfoy! Have you heard a blasted word I said?" his father's voice boomed from the fireplace, breaking Draco out of his daze.

"Of course." he answered lazily, his eye's darting to the portrait that hid Hermione's room. Maybe she was listening again, if she came out it would be perfect. But the portrait stayed unmoving.

"Draco! I will not be ignored boy." his father interrupted, once again.

"Then leave, father." he snapped, looking his father straight in the eye.

"What has gotten into you?" his father demanded.

"Light." Draco answered, smirking as his father's face screwed up at the word. "I can't stand you father, at all." he ended.  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>  
"Draco? Draco?" he heard a voice say from above him.

"Granger?" he said groggily. "Hermione?" he corrected, remembering his talk with himself.

"What did you call me?" she said, her voice catching.

Draco opened his eyes saw the girl above him, her face lined with what looked like worry.

"What happened?" he asked, moving to sit up but being pushed back down by Hermione.

"You're in the hospital wing. I went into the common room and saw you lying on the floor, you weren't moving. I tried to wake you but you wouldn't even move so I called Dumbledore and he took you to the hospital wing. What happened?" she asked his question back to her.

"I don't remember." he answered truthfully. Chances are his father used their family bond to cause him excruciating pain. He'd done it before when Draco was six and he'd let his hawk out of it's cage before it was properly trained. The hawk had come back to find it's master in bed for a week while he recovered from the beating his father had given him, both mental and physical.

"Well you can't come back to the common room for a couple of days. Is there anything you need out of you're room?" Hermione asked from the side of his bed, where she'd sat down when she was sure he was awake.

"There's a book on my desk, another on my bed." he said, not really asking her to bring them.

"I'll be right back then." she said, standing up and moving away from his bedside. "What's your password?" she asked when she was at the door.

"Draco." he answered back before turning his head and closing his eyes.  
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.  
He opened his eyes sometime later to find a light on by his bed side and the hospital wing filled with shadows from the moonlight. He looked over and saw his books on the small table beside the bed. Sitting up a bit he picked them up and set them on his lap. He looked over to the table for a glass of water and was surprised to find a small box next to the glass. He picked up the box and opened up the lid. Inside sat three chocolate chip cookies.

I hope you guy's liked this one. I've been working on it for acouple hours.


	7. The Paper

I don't own anything other than my computer.

_

* * *

_

_I walk a lonely road  
The only one I that have ever known  
Don't know were it goes  
But its home to me and I walk alone_

_I walk this empty street  
On the Boulevard of broken dreams  
Where the city sleeps  
And I'm the only one and I walk alone_

_I walk alone  
I walk alone  
I walk alone  
I walk a..._

_My shadows the only one that walks beside me  
My shallow hearts the only thing that's beating  
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me  
Till then I walk alone  
_

Draco was sitting in his hospital bed, reading, when Granger rushed in.

"Malfoy!"

"Yes, Granger?" he said in a bored tone, he'd been almost finished with the book, he thought she, of all people, would know not to interrupt someone while they were reading.

"You haven't seen the paper." she said, a sad look crossing her face.

"What is it?" Draco demanded, his stomach tightening by the look on her face.

She stood there for a couple seconds before taking a copy of the Daily Prophet from behind her back. She edged towards the bed with a slowness Draco thought no one on earth, other than the death, possessed.

"I'm sorry." was all she said, in a whisper no less, before the paper dropped into his lap. He looked at her retreating back. She was running away from him.

"Granger?" he called after her, now a bit uneasy about the paper sitting in his lap.

She didn't stop running though, and Draco was left staring at a swinging door. He sighed and glanced down at the paper, not knowing what to expect. Before he could read the head line the doors burst open again.

"Draco... we have to talk." his head snapping to his Godfathers face, Draco set the paper aside and watched as the color drained from the older man's face when he glanced down at what he had just been about to read.

"What about?" Draco asked, wondering what was so terrible.

"You haven't read the paper?" Snape asked, his color slowing beginning to come back.

"No, not yet. Granger came in and gave it to me." he explained, watching the man he considered more of a father to him then his own sit down on his bed.

"Draco, something's happened."

"What?" he'd never heard the head of Slytherin nervous before.

"You're mother and father, Draco, were..." the older man trailed off as if trying to find the right words to answer the question.

"Yes?" A knot was forming in his stomach because of the face his professor was sporting.

"There was a ministry raid, at your house." Snape started. "Your father, he was..."

"Get on with it." Draco said, his patience wearing thin.

"You're mother didn't make it out of the house, she led to ministry straight to your father, he... he was sent to Azkaban."

"What do you mean she didn't make it out?" Draco asked, the knot now growing tighter.

"Your father... got to her before anyone could obtain him." the man went on to explain.

"Got to her how? Is she in St......"

"No, Draco, she's in no hospital, your father ended her life."

"What?" the word's made no sense to him.

"Draco, your mother is gone." Snape said in a soft tone, putting what was probably meant to be a comforting hand on the young wizards knee.

Draco didn't respond to the question's Snape asked. To tell the truth he wouldn't be able to repeat them if he'd been forced to. His mother was dead. The only one that actually cared for him, taken by his father, the bastard of the world.

"Draco answer me." a stressed voice snapped Draco out of his thoughts.

"Leave." was the only thing he could say.

Draco waited until he heard the hospital doors close before he looked over to where the man was sitting. He felt tears welling in his eyes but refused to let them fall. His father would have wanted to see him cry. He picked up the paper again and read the head line.

**Malfoy Family in shambles**

**story reported by: Taber Glassenger**

**The Malfoy family has been hit by yet another blow in the past week. It's said that Lucius Malfoy, suspected supporter of you-know-who, has been sentenced to Azkaban Correction's of Wizards and Witches. The propionate fixture of the wizarding society was sitting in his house when a raid by the Ministry of Magic fell on his house. He was obtained, but he drew his wand and......**

Draco couldn't finish it. He threw in on the floor and turned his head away, the tears, still unshed, blurring his vision. The doors opened once again but he didn't pay attention.

"Has Madam Pomfrey come to check on you?" a soft voice said from beside him, Granger.

"No, I suppose she's out celebrating the fall of Malfoy." he said quietly, not able to dredge up any malice to lace his voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, he felt the bed dip when she sat down on the edge and scooted in to lean back a bit on his legs.

"Why would I talk to you, Grangr?" he asked, still keeping his face turned away from her.

"I brought more cookies." she stated simply.

He smirked at that and glanced down when he felt a box being placed on his lap.

"You can have some, I brought some milk too." she offered, pointing to the kraft sitting on his side table.

"I don't want to talk." he said as he reached for a cookie from the open box. "You can leave."

"No, I don't think I will and even if I do, I'll take the cookies." she said reaching for the box.

"You can stay." he said quickly, reaching for the box and snatching it out of her reach but replacing it when she laughed and held her hand up in surrender.

"Can I have a cookie?" she asked nicely.

"I guess." he said, looking into the box to try to find her the smallest one, it wasn't of anything but he liked cookies.

"I'll pick my own out thank you." she said looking into the box and picking up a cookie.

Before she bit into it she poured a glass of milk and dunked the cookie into it. Draco watched the production and laughed out loud at the look on her face when she finally brought the cookie to her mouth and bit down on it.

"What?" she asked while wiping crumbs away from her face.

"It's just a cookie, Granger." he said, taking another bite out of his own.

"It's a good cookie thought." she countered, knowing she had him.

"Yes, that's true." he answered before taking another bite.

The two sat in silence after that, talking only if to make fun of the way the other went about eating a cookie. Neither noticed Dumbledore come through the door and stop short of walking to Draco's bed. They also didn't notice his eye's twinkle before he turned and left the wing.

"I'll have to have mum send more." she said, looking into the box and seeing a few chocolate chip cookies left.

"I think you'll have to do that too." Draco agreed, smiling, for the first time, at her.

"I'll ask her to send two this time." she promised before taking a sip of milk.

"Granger..." he started.

"Yes?" she asked bringing the glass down and wiping away a milk mustache.

"Thank you for this." he said after a moment or two of hesitation.

"You're welcome." she said, surprised by the word's he said. "I'll leave you alone now, I'll come back tomorrow."

Draco agreed and watched as she walked away. She'd left him the box of cookies so he took one and bit into it. After many fight's within himself Draco picked up a glass, filled it with milk and dunked the cookie in before taking another bite. Granger's way was kind of good, he had to admit. After he tucked the cookies away he slid down into bed and turned his head away from the door and fell to sleep. A sleep that was filled with cookies, laughs, and smiles. It was only in the early morning hours did the dreams turn to nightmares consisting of death, destruction, and, the most scary by far, his father.


	8. The Aftermath

_Wake up I'm pounding on the door  
I'm not the man I was before  
Where the hell are you  
When I need you  
Wake up I'm pounding on the door  
I won't hurt you anymore  
Where the hell are you  
When I need you_

_I'm not angry all the time  
You push me down, at least you try  
Until we see this eye to eye  
I don't want you_

Draco sat looking out of the window of the hospital wing. When Granger left the night before he'd almost called her back, just for someone to talk to. She said she'd be back tonight but he didn't know about that.

"Malfoy?" she did come.

He turned slightly and glanced to his bed, where she stood, looking around. Draco got tired of lying down and was now sitting by the window, partially hidden by a divider. He looked down at her hands and found them empty, no cookies today, it seemed.

"Malfoy?" she called again, turning in a circle.

"Why are you here?" he asked, pushing the divider to one side so she could see him. "Where are the cookies?" he asked again, not giving her the time to answer the first question.

"My mum has to work. She has better things to do then make two tins of cookies." She answered, rolling her eyes.

"Why would your mother work?" Draco asked, truly curious.

"It's what muggles do, both parent's work most times." She explained, blushing a bit.

"Your father isn't ashamed for making so little money that his wife has to work?" he asked again.

"You really do get it naturally." She muttered, glaring at him.

"Get what, Good looks? Yes I come by them naturally." He answered, smiling a bit.

"No, being an insensitive jerk." She snapped at him, the smile he had formed disappearing.

"I'm not insensitive. I let you sit on my bloody bed yesterday." He countered.  
"Why did I even come here?" she asked, not to him but because he was there he answered.

"Because you can't stay away from my charming good look's and you wanted an intelligent conversation with some one under the age of 30." He explained simply.

"Don't be so full of yourself. I was coming to give you your mail." She answered, pointing to the table beside his bed.

"You didn't have anything your hand when you came in here." He stated, one eyebrow lifting in silent question.

"I had them in my hand when I walked in." she defended, picking up the said letters and throwing them at him.

"That was mature of you, Granger." He smirked, watching as the last letter fluttered to the floor and rested face down. Parkinson. "You didn't read them did you?" he asked, knowing full well she didn't.

"Why would I bother reading something that was written to you? I don't talk about Quidditch, sex, murder, pain, drugs, cheating, blood, gore, blood sacrifices, worshipping the slimy excuse of a wizard Vold…."

"Enough! What makes you think I talk about that kind of stuff?" he asked, almost offended but ultimately happy that some people thought of him that way.

"Well, yes." She answered after a slight hesitation.

"You forgot torturing defenseless house-elves with the threat of clothing. I also torture little children and then steal their candy when the start crying." Draco explained with a smirk plastered on his face. "maybe you should get to know someone before you start making assumptions."

"are you saying I'm wrong about everything I just said?" she asked, her chin shooting up.

"no, but you're not right about everything either."

"there are your bloody letters, Malfoy. Have fun reading. I didn't open them but one of them is from Azkaban." She said before leaving.

Draco looked down at the pile of letters again a sighed. His father wrote to him. Bending down he got the letter marked AZKABAN and opened it. It wasn't from his father.

**'**_**Draco Malfoy,  
You are receiving this letter to inform you that your father, Lucius Malfoy, has been tried and convicted of murder. He is sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss, scheduled to take place on September 15. The date give you enough time to get all of the future arrangements in order with your father. I am sorry for your loss.** _

**AZKABAN official'**

Draco stared at the letter for hours after first reading it. The tenth was a Monday, giving him over a week to get affairs at home in order. He tried to get the feeling of happiness out of his system but it wouldn't leave. His was sentenced to the Kiss, he should be depressed, but found it hard to feel emotions his father never showed him. His mother had but he refused to give his father anything his mother had given him.

"I miss you mom." he whispered almost silently. "You shouldn't have left."

"She didn't leave you on purpose, Draco." he heard from behind him.

"Godfather." he addressed the older man.

"Draco, you must understand that. She didn't leave you because she had a choice, your father took that right from her. You can't blame anyone but your father."

"Have you heard?" Draco asked, throwing the letter at him.

Draco watched the face of his potion's professor, looking for any sign of emotion. He was disappointed when the letter was returned to him without so much as an eye bulge.

"I'm not very surprised, son. He was a horrible wizard." Snape explained.

"I can't stand being in this hospital wing." he said to change the subject.

"Draco, you have to talk about it." his Godfather stressed to him.

"When can I go back to my common room?" he asked, knowing he wouldn't get an answer while knowing it would also derail the conversation.

"I haven't seen you use this tactic since you were young." he heard the older man comment.

"Where is the bloody nurse?" he asked, going to the uncomfortable bed and laying down.

"She's in her office, with a silence spell put on it. It seem's you tried her nerves the last time you were in here and she's not going to take your whining. She's only coming out to give you medicine." Snap explained.

"I've never seen her."

"You've been asleep every time she's been in." he heard, all though he pretended not to. "I'll talk to her about it, Draco. For now get some rest, you'll need it for the day's to come."

Draco closed his eyes as he heard the door close and opened them again when he heard nothing but his own breathing. He knew he'd have to talk about what happened but he didn't have to do it now. To be honest the only thing on his mind right now was when the next box of cookies would make an appearance on his bed side table.


	9. The Feast

_Though they do pretend  
They won't go when I go  
All those bleeding hearts  
With sorrows to impart  
Were right here from the start  
And they won't go when I go_

_  
And I'll go where I've longed  
To go so long  
Away from tears_

_  
Gone from painful cries  
Away from saddened eyes  
Along with him I'll bide  
Because they won't go when I go  
Big men feeling small  
Weak ones standing tall  
I will watch them fall_

_  
They won't go when I go  
And I'll go where I've longed  
To go so long  
Away from tears  
_

Draco watched from the window in the hospital wing as the other kids came back from summer break. It was Thursday, he only had five day's to get home and see how things were going to run when he left.

"Draco?" a voice said from behind him.

Granger had taken to calling him that now. He'd tried to curb the usage of Granger, but it was a lost cause to him.

"What?" he snapped, not bothering to turn, she'd come around to look at him anyway's.

"Are you okay? You missed the train, shouldn't you be out by now?" she asked.

"I know I missed the bloody train, Granger. As you can see I'm not out yet." he didn't feel like talking but it never seemed to bother her.

Soon enough she stepped in front of him, his attention now diverted to her chest, which wasn't bad at all.

"I'm going to talk to Madam Pomfrey. Being in here has made you go mad." with that Granger walked away and walked to the office the old woman lived in. "Madam Pomfrey? It's Hermione Granger, Ma'am" she said after he heard the door open.

"Yes Miss. Granger?" the woman asked, her voice a lot warmer than what it usually was when she spoke to him.

"I've come to bring Malfoy back to the common room, is it safe to?" Granger asked in her small little voice.

"Yes, I expect he's fine to go. I don't know how you'll make it though the year deary. He's a great belly crier, that one is." Draco hear the nurse warn.

"Madam Pomfrey, he's not that bad. I'll be fine this year, he's a puppy dog under all the roughness." he heard the laugher in her voice.

"Well, Godspeed, none the less." he heard the woman mutter before the door was closed again.

"Come on, Draco, time to go." Granger said, standing in front of him again, his book's tucked under her arms.

"I can carry my own books, Granger." he snarled at her, she was touching his things without asking, the nerve of the girl.

"Sorry for trying to be nice." she said hotly, her face turning a pale pink.

"Let's go." he ordered, snatching his books from her and leading the way out of the hospital wing.

He didn't know if she followed but he didn't really care either.

"Draco, we should just go straight to the hall, it's almost time for the sorting." she called after him.

Draco turned around to find the chit at the far staircase, almost out of sight save the hair on the top of her head. He looked down at the books in his hands and sighed disgustedly. He didn't want to go to the Great hall, it was over rated.

"Fine." he grumbled, not happy that what she said had made sense.

He followed her to and into the Great Hall. He went to sit at the head of the Slytherin table while Granger did the same at Gryffindor. The first years were ushered in and the sorting hat was placed on the stool, then the thing began to sing, like every year.

'Well all, both young and new,

something, something,

it just went on and on,

Ravenclaw is something and true, maybe,

Hufflepuff has some qualities about them,

Slytherin, while cunning and of wit, will never soon to something,

Gryffindor was something or other,

blah blah blah....

The Sorting Hat.'

That was all Draco took in from the song. The song was too bloody long for him, it should just explain the houses in one sentence each, totaling to 5 sentences. It really couldn't be that hard. The feast went on like it did every year, the Slytherin's complaining about their summers and who joined the 'Dark Lord'. It wasn't really anything interesting. Draco's attention span was never one to be sought after, by far, so when a peal of laughter came from a table down his head snapped over. It was Granger, talking to a first year but what it seemed. The kid looked glad to have some one to talk to and to be truthful, Draco wouldn't mind if Granger was over here talking to him, although he'd never admit it, Slytherin wasn't all it was cracked up to be, yes they hated the other housed with a fiery passion, but they also felt the same way about their house mates.

"Drakey, you didn't answer any of my letters of the summer? Why not, I missed you so much, maybe we could pick up where we left off last year?" Parkinson's whinny voice came from beside him.

Draco looked over to see a dazed first year standing up, obviously pushed off the bench. Draco ignored the girl trying to get his attention and reached to the first year to straighten his collar.

"Thank you." the boy said, his voice squeaking slightly.

"Parkinson, you're in his seat." he said coldly.

"But Drakey!"

"Move." he ordered, sick of trying to be nice.

He looked away before he could see her face try to pout. The rest of the feast was un-eventful and none to soon they were dismissed and Draco made his way back to the common room.

"Granger, what took you so long?" he asked when the portrait swung open to show a very frazzled looking Granger.

"You were supposed to help with the first year's, making sure they were alright." she huffed at him, stalking over to him and stopping right before him.

"so, I was never informed." he defended himself.

"I can't believe this! Dumbledore told us when he came to the hospital wing one day." she explained with vanishing patience.

"Oops." he answered, looking up at her from his place on the couch.

"We start classes on Monday, Draco, please don't act like this during those too." she said softly, turning to go to her room.

Before she stepped away a pounding came from the portrait. A muffled voice could be heard then the portrait opened to reveal Parkinson.

"Drakey, now we can finally pick up where we left off." she said as she walked in.

Draco looked from her to Granger then did the only thing that would make her leave him alone, for good.

"What are you doing here Mudblood?"

Draco grasped Granger's wrist and tugged her down onto his lap. Before she could protest his lips were on hers, his tongue running over her closed lip's before they parted slightly. Gaining entrance he slid his tongue in and stroked hers, momentarily getting lost in the feelings running through him by the simple kiss. He tore his lips away from hers and looked up at Parkinson, who was the color of the walls in his rooms. It suited her.

"That's what she's doing in here." he answered before standing up, taking Granger's hand, and leading her to his room.

After the portrait closed he could hear Parkinson screaming at him. He tuned her out and turned to look at a very red Granger.

* * *

Hey everyone, sorry that it took so long to update! I'll do thank you's within the next couple of day's. Happy Christmas.


	10. The Fight

**Thanks to:**

**Ihearttomfelton- Thank you for all of the reviews and for not saying it sucked lol**

**xputteckx- I had to do it with the cookies, at least one more chapter with them.**

**bigred20- I'm posting as soon as I get them done.**

**Sun Kissed Rose- Thank you for reviews, my English teacher last year said I wasn't that hot of writer, oh well lol.**

**lilpsycho14- What can I say, I love cookies.**

**Beach-Babi- Don't feel to bad for Draco, he's not all sugar and spice lol.**

**BlackGoldSilverTiger- Thank you for giving your first review to me lol. I made Lucius kinda dormant because I wanted the focus to be on Draco, if he'd been beaten in the first chapter, or any one after it, the story wouldn't flow right. I hope you can post your own stories now.**

**marauderbab289- The song in the beginning of Chapter 8 is Wakeup by Three Days Grace.**

**Rootbeer Float- Thank you for the review, I've read your stories and I love them. I didn't know about anonomyous reviews, thank you for pointing it out, I'm pretty sure I've fixed it.**

**angel-dolphin- Thank you very very much for the review.**

**I don't know why it took me so long to thank everyone, I'm very sorry for the delay. I hope you like this chapter and please don't be too mad at me the end.**

_

* * *

See maybe,  
there was something wrong and you weren't telling me, no  
see now maybe, the laugh's on me  
and life was telling me a joke _

They say if something's yours  
then you let it go,  
if it comes back to you  
it was yours all along  
well I let you go  
along with those lies from you  
I wonder what else lies in you  
or did the lies just need a guard

She wasn't smiling, so at least she felt the same about the kiss.

"What the bloody hell was that for, Malfoy?" she screeched, a great impression of Parkinson actually.

"Shut up, Granger. It's not like it was a walk in the park for me." he spat at her, brushing past her to go to their bathroom.

She of course followed him in there, not saying a word, and started tapping her foot. Draco rolled his eyes at the annoying sound and turned to tell her to quit it but stopped short. She was standing there, hands on hips, and a glare fixed on her face. He could deal with her later, he decided and continued on the quest for a toothbrush. She gasped when he squeezed a quarter sized glob of toothpaste on the toothbrush and stuck it in his mouth, making sure to get his tongue first thing. He spat and reloaded the toothbrush.

"That is totally inappropriate." she yelled at him, grabbing the tube of paste out of his hand and tucking it into her pocket.

He merely blinked up at her before pulling another tube out of her drawer. He smirked around the toothbrush when she turned, if possible, a shade redder than before.

"Stop going through my things." she ground out through clenched teeth.

Draco took his time spitting and rinsing before answering her. "Stop leaving it out for everyone to see."

"It was in my drawer!" she defended, trying to grab the second tube.

"And now it's not. Fare game." he answered raising the toothpaste above his head and walking past her, into his room.

"You are being completely childish." she accused him.

"I'm not the jumping up and down like a kid waiting for an ice cream." he pointed out to her.

"You....I...." she started, sputtering the whole sentence before doing the right thing and shutting up.

"Yeah, totally." he agreed, smirking.

When he made it to his bed he sat and tossed the tube of tooth paste in the air a few times, smiling when she tried to reach for it each time.

"You're reflexes are horrible." he pointed out after her third failed attempt at the grab.

"Shut up." she shot back, giving up trying to get it from him and holding her hand out.

"What's that for?" he asked, looking at her outstretched hand.

"I'm waiting to get my toothpaste back." she answered lofty, nose stuck in the air.

"I wish you luck on your wait." he answered before tossing the toothpaste behind him and laying back on it.

"Get up, I need to brush my teeth." she demanded.

"Why do you need to brush yours? You didn't have to kiss someone filthy." he snarled at her before he could stop himself.

Well any chance of a repeat performance down the road was all and well tossed out of the window.

"Beside's you already have a tube in your pants." he said lamely.

"I don't want that one, it want the one you have." she said stiffly, her back straight and her eyes on fire.

"Fine." he muttered, throwing the toothpaste at her.

She missed it, didn't even try to catch it. Draco stared at it when it landed on the floor, better than looking at her when she looked like she'd kill him.

"You have it, leave." he ordered, getting up and opening the door that led to the common room, all the while praying that Parkinson had left.

She hadn't, in fact she was right in front of the door, looking ready to intercept anyone that set foot out of the room. To bad it happened to be Granger, he really wouldn't wish Parkinson on anyone but the girl couldn't stay here. With a sigh he looked back at Granger, who was staring at Parkinson with hatred. Poor girl didn't stand a chance. He glance back and forth between the girls before having second thoughts. Before he could think twice about it he put a protective arm around Granger and pulled her close to him. Parkinson opened her mouth to protest but before any sound came out he push Granger out of his room and slammed the door.

"Have fun." he whispered before walking over to his bed and laying down and closing his eyes.

When he didn't hear any screaming he got a bit disappointed. The girls hated each other, he needed some form of entertainment. He rolled out of bed and went to the door, pushed it open and walked through the door to the common room. He laughed when he walked out had to lean on the wall to support himself. On the floor was Granger, on top of Parkinson, pulling her hair. Each had their mouths wide open but nothing came out.

"Silencing spells, good effect." he complimented Granger, knowing Parkinson didn't have the brain capacity to perform the spell.

The girls stopped fighting long enough to glance up at him. Parkinson, having been in a few fight's before, took Granger's distraction against her and flipped the girl off of her and landed on top of her. Her mouth working furiously the whole time. Granger's eyes were wide as she stared up at Parkinson and then closed briefly, probably mourning her bad lack of judgement. Let it never be said that Parkinson didn't know anything. She did know how to fight dirty. She had some how pinned Granger's arm's to her sides.

"Damn, thought you had more in you than that." Draco muttered as Granger took a punch to the stomach. "At least try to fight back, you can't let Parkinson beat you up."

Parkinson stopped at that and turned to face him, her face a cloud of darkness. Granger tried to get her arm's free but failed, then tried to buck the other girl off of her, that was a no go also. Book smart's amounted to, what was it those muggles said.... oh yeah, a hill of beans.

"You're weak, Granger." he pointed out when Pansy went back to pounding the living day light's out of her.

Finally Granger just gave up struggling and laid their like the rug they were sprawled on. Parkinson kept up the hitting for a few minutes before she spat on Granger and got off of her. The Slytherin girl walked over to Draco and stopped dead in front of him, looking him up and down before throwing herself on him, trying to pry his mouth open with her tongue.

"Get the hell off of me." he screamed, bringing his hands between them and shoving her off of him.

The cow actually had the nerve to look stricken. He rolled his eyes at her and looked down at Granger, who was still laying on the floor. She was blinking up at the ceiling, like she was trying not to cry.

"Finite Incantateum" he said, his wand pointing at Granger. She still didn't say anything. "Finite Incantateum." he repeated at the pug faced girl in front of him.

"Drakey, what is your problem?" she screeched at him, pushing at him.

"Leave, Parkinson, before Dumbledore find's out what you've just done." he answered, looking at Granger.

That got the girl moving. He glanced up at her as the door closed, leaving Granger and him alone. He moved to help her up.

"No." she said with more venom in her voice that a Balisk ever possessed.

So he didn't try to help her up again. Instead, Draco turned around and went into his room. He didn't hear her move at all, but then again the walls were thick. He took his mind off of it by thinking about what he had to do at home. What was he going to go with all the junk at the manner. He went to his desk and at in the chair, staring into space before a sound drew him out of his thoughts. He got up and went to the open bathroom door. Granger stood in front of the mirror, her shirt pulled up enough to see her rib's, which were turned from green to blue very rapidly. Tears were running down her face, which really hadn't suffered that much, in fact, there wasn't a mark on her face.

"So no one can tell that I'm feeling like hell for a reason." she spat at him, noticing his gaze, which was still fixed on her face.

He didn't say anything to her about it. Instead he walked into the room, pulled open one of his drawers and pulling out a fat jar filled with a familiar gray goo.

"Put this on the bruises every half hour. Use a lot, the jar doesn't run out." he instructed, putting the jar in front of her, before turning around and leaving the room.


	11. The Faint

Chapter 1- Three Days Grace- Just like you  
Chapter 2- Kelly Clarkson- Breakaway  
Chapter 3- Steriogram- On and On  
Chapter 4- Dashboard Confessional- As lovers go  
Chapter 5- Gavin DeGraw- I don't wanna be  
Chapter 6- Hoobastank- Same direction  
Chapter 7- Green Day- Boulevard of Broken Dreams  
Chapter 8- Three Days Grace- Wake up  
Chapter 9- Stevie Wonder- They won't go when I go  
Chapter 10- N.E.R.D- Maybe  
Chapter 11- Green Day- Wake me up when September ends

_

* * *

_

_Summer has come and past.  
The innocent can never last.  
Wake me up when September ends._

_Like my fathers come to pass,  
Seven years has gone so fast.  
Wake me up when September ends._

_Here comes the rain again,  
Falling from the stars.  
Drenched in my pain again,  
Becoming who we are.  
As my memory rests  
But never forgets what I lost.  
Wake me up when September ends._

_Summer has come and past.  
The innocent can never last.  
Wake me up when September ends._

_With his good deed out of the way for the month, Draco sighed and made his way back to his room. He heard the Jar pop open in the bathroom and closed his eyes briefly as he waited for the yelp of surprise. It didn_'t come. Most Slytherin's were a bit squeamish when it came to using the stuff; Draco was the first couple of times. His father had handed him the jar and left the room after the weekly beating. It looked like it would smell horrible and that it would sting like all of the other gels in potion books. The one he kept at all times was almost identical to his fathers, only it didn't burn the skin on contact, a sick joke his father played on him for wanting to face the pain the easy way.

"What is this?" she asked from the door way.

"Healing gel." He answered, snobbishly.

"I know that." She answered with an eye roll. "Where did you get it?"

"Around." He answered, avoiding her eyes.

"Where is around?" she asked only to be interrupted by voice's yelling and someone pounding on the door of the common room. "You can hear that in here?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes, you can probably hear it too. Go into your room and find out." He offered, trying to get her to leave.

"I'm going to answer the door." She shot back at him, walking over to the door of his room and throwing it open.  
She looked out first, probably to see if Parkinson really left, and walked out to the door. Draco went to the door and watched as she opened the portrait to the common room and stepped aside to let who ever it was in. She was smiling now.

"Harry, Ron, how you have been?" she asked before she turned and saw him looking out at the golden trio with disgust. "Go away." She ordered.

"No, it's not just your common room. I can go where ever I want." He answered as he walked out and sat down on the couch.

"Come on Hermione, we can go to the Gryffindor common room." Potter said, before Weasel put a protective arm around her and started walking her to the door.

"It's after curfew, you shouldn't even be here." She pointed out in her most annoying 'This-is-  
your-mother-speaking" voice. She almost always sounded like that.

"Yeah, Potter, you wouldn't want Granger to loose Head girl, would you?" he asked, smirking when the Weasel turned red and started sputtering incoherently.

"Shove it, Ferret." Potter growled at him.

"Is that all you could come up with? I could understand that coming from Weasel, but you, you strike me as an original character." Draco pointed out, raising his right foot to rest it on his left knee.

"Harry, he's not worth it." Granger said suddenly, causing Draco to snap his attention to the girl.

She was glancing back and forth between the two. Her eye's closed and she swayed before she regained some control and put a hand on Weasels arm. Her 'friends' didn't even notice, how typical.

"Ahh, look's like you're finally realizing you like me." Draco said a smug smile on his face.

"Shut up, over grown prat." She hissed at him before her eyes drifted shut once again, this time she had to support herself with both hands.

"Hermione, you okay?" the Weasel finally noticed.

"Yes, I'm fine." She answered, righting herself after her eyes fluttered open.

"Are you sure, you don't look so good." He continued.

"Thank you so much, Ronald. I'll come to you from now on for compliments." She said sweetly before untangling her self from Weasel's, who was turning a bright shade of red, limbs and setting herself a little way's away.

"'Mione, you know I didn't mean it like that." Weasel, or Ronald, he'd have to remember that for future use, said with a great sigh.  
"I know." She said softly. "I'm sorry, but I'm stuck with him," she explained with a finger pointed at him "and he's been making my life a living hell for the past week." She ended, pushing her hair back from her face.

"Don't worry, you can always come and visit us." Potter said, like that was reassuring to anyone.

"I know thanks. You guys better go now. I don't want you getting into any trouble the first day back."

Ever the Gryffindor, Draco thought. If a Slytherin had been in here after curfew he would have called Dumbledore on the first knock. She was trying to save them from getting in trouble.

"You know I'm going to Dumbledore with this." He answered when the door closed behind the two idiots.

"If you go to Dumbledore, I'll deny it and have you mentally unfit." She countered.

"If I loose Head boy, you loose Head girl." He reminded her.

"I really wish some one who deserved the position got Head boy." She said as she turned to go to her room.

Before she made it two steps she fell, and didn't get up. Draco looked around the room, now wishing Potter and Weasel had stayed. Sighing, he stood up and walked over to where she laid.

"Granger?" he asked, poking her with the toe of his boot.

She didn't move.

"Granger?" he asked again, the point of his boat once again making slight contact with her side.

With a sigh he squatted down next to her and shook her shoulder gently. She didn't move, but it looked like she was breathing so he was pretty sure she'd be okay. He looked at her face and noticed it was paler than usual, well what he thought would be usual. Whenever she looked at him her face was beat red, not a very lovely color on her.

"Granger, wake up." he ordered, almost hoping she'd open her eyes and start laughing at him. It didn't happen. "Granger?"

She didn't move and he watched her a couple more minutes before deciding what to do. Putting a arm under her knees and another under her back he gently lifted her up and carried her to the couch. She didn't wake up the whole time he'd moved her so he was surprised that when he settled her on the couch she opened her eyes and stared at him.

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

"you passed out." he told her, realizing that he should have lowered his voice slightly when she winced.

"It's nothing." she answered stiffly, trying to get up.

"Fine." he muttered and sat in a chair as she tried to get up. She failed and ended up falling back onto the couch. "Why did you faint?" he asked, not really caring for the answer.

"When I was little I was in an accident, I have a scar from it. Now whenever something stresses me out I get short of breath." she explained.

"The scar on your back." he said after putting two and two together.

"Ye....how did you know about that?" she asked, looking down at what she was wearing.

"Don't worry about that." he said getting up and walking towards his room.

"Will you help me to my room. I won't be able to walk for a while." she called after him.

He stopped dead before turning to face her. If he helped her, he'd have to carry her, if he didn't she'd stay there and would complain the whole time. He sighed went to the couch. Looking down at her he saw she was regaining color in her cheeks before bending to pick her up. He carried her to her portrait and waited while she said the pass word (Emmy) and walked into her room. When he set her down her arm's lingered around his neck before she terminated all contact. She sighed when he turned around to leave.

"What?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Thank you." was the response he got before going to the door, walking through, and closing it behind him.


	12. Paperwork

_You're telling everyone how different that you really are  
But it's been said before, so maybe you're not special after all  
If you put the same amount of effort into letting go  
Just act yourself and you might like it, you never know _

_'Cause everything you want, everything you do  
You try so hard to be everyone but you  
Everywhere you turn, you just gotta learn  
It's easier if you don't try so hard_

_And it's people like you that me sick  
I'm surrounded by you everywhere I look  
Is there somewhere I can go to get away  
Where there's truth and people mean just what they say_

_You try too hard  
You just try too hard  
You try too hard_

Draco sat in a chair behind his father's desk. He looked straight ahead, at the empty chair in front of the massive desk, and knew that he would never be like his father in many ways. He remembered always sitting in the chair in front of him when he was in trouble, his father smiling as he spoke to him, no doubt in Draco's mind that the old man was already thinking of how he was going to torment him. He would never get how his father worked and he really didn't want to ever try. With a sigh he pulled open a drawer and pulled out stacks upon stacks of paper. His father, it seemed, kept ever slip of paper that could ever be saved.

"Young master?" he heard as he shifted through the third pile of papers.

"What, Daster?" he asked without looking up from his work.

"Young master, visitor." Was all the elf said before a pop was heard.

Draco looked up to see who had entered the room. His eye's met with Dumbledore's.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, none to kindly.

"I've come to see if you need any assistance, Mr. Malfoy." The older man explained, tipping his head towards the stacks of paper still waiting to be looked through.

"No, thank you, I've everything under control." He answered his back stiff.

"Mr. Malfoy, this is a feat an accountant could barely handle on his own, much less a 17 year old young man." He countered.

"Professor Dumbledore, while I thank you for your kindness, I am sure I will be fine." Draco snapped at the man, closing his eyes in a grimace when the words left his mouth.

That would make the old man even more determined to help. Draco was, unfortunately, right about this. Dumbledore pulled the chair closer to the desk and moved all of the papers that Draco hadn't shifted though to the middle of the desk, going though them immediately. They worked in silence, Draco in confusion and slight anger, Dumbledore in, no doubt, pleasure.

"It seems, Mr. Malfoy, that your father had everything in order before his imprisonment." The grey haired wizard said after three hours of going though paper work. "I'll take care of it from here."

"What are you talking about?" the pale blond teenager asked, curious to say the least.

"School is in session, Mr. Malfoy. You should be at Hogwarts with your peers, not in this manor, surrounded by memories best left for another time." The headmaster said with a smile on his face.

Draco looked at the desk; know home to three small, neat piles of papers. He looked at the top paper of each and flinched when he saw the last pile. Dark arts, spells and curses, no doubt. He stared at the other piles and saw one was for transfers of money and stuff like that, the other looked to be bills to places, all paid for probably.

"I'll handle it." Draco said, not wanting any more help.

"Mr. Malfoy, I assure you, it is no problem." Dumbledore answered kindly while his picked the papers up and put them in one pile, making sure they were in the right order before standing, the papers still in his hands. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, if there is nothing else you have to deal with, I think we best be going."

Draco didn't trust the man with the papers but it seemed he had no choice in the matter. Thinking about what all he had to do he sighed. There were rooms in this manor that hadn't seen light in years, decades even. There were 'rewards' from the sorry excuse for a wizard in the trophy room. His mother had had a wing to herself; Draco was never aloud there so heaven only knew what was held there. He'd cleaned out his room before leaving for Hogwarts, planning on never returning to the manor. His father had another study, a den and a billiard room. God only knew why though, his father only used this room. Draco was dreading going into the other rooms but also knew it was something he would have to do alone.

"Mr. Malfoy, if you would please follow me." He heard from far off.

He turned to find Dumbledore looking at him, a twinkle in his eye. He'd forgotten that the man was here for a moment.

"What?" he asked, looking around him to make sure he was still in the manor, standing in front of the now closed study doors.

"If you would follow me, Mr. Malfoy. I would like to get you back to school as soon as possible." The headmaster answered, looking around, trying to find what had caught Draco's interest.

"How are we getting there?" he asked, knowing it was a stupid question, his father had the floo hooked up to the school.

"We will be traveling by Hogwarts Express, of course." The older man answered, surprised by the question.

"Well, my father had the floo hooked to Hogwarts, I just assumed…" Draco said, knowing that Dumbledore had to have known already.

"No, my dear boy, your father was in Hogwarts when he flooed into your common room." Dumbledore, smiling slightly.

"What do you mean? Why would he be in Hogwarts?" Draco asked, truly confused.

"Your father was there on a meeting, both times. I'm sorry I couldn't help the last time he visited." He answered, stroking his bead softly. "It shouldn't have happened; I will make sure it doesn't again." He added, making sure to give Draco eye contact, something the teenager avoided like the plague.

"Alright." Draco answered, more than slightly uncomfortable. "Let's go." He mumbled, feeling like an idiot thinking his father clever enough to hook up a floo.

Granger was in the common room when he walked through the portrait door. She was asleep; it seemed, with a book held loosely in her hands. She looked… lazy lying there like that.

"Get up, Granger." He snapped at her, going to the couch and pushing her legs off of one end to sit down.

"What time is it?" she answered, sounding like she was still asleep.

"Seven thirty." He answered after glancing at the clock that sat on the mantle.

"What? No it can't be that late! I still have Muggle studies homework." She yelled the book she held dropping to the floor as she stood up and ran to her room.

He looked after her in disgust. She was a Muggle, why would she need to study them? She made no sense, none at all. He sat there for a couple minutes before he got up and walked to his room. Looking around he saw the bathroom door was opened and he went to close it, he didn't want to hear her tonight if she went in there. He sighed and walked over to his bed and laid down, closing his eyes in exhaustion. His father was more trouble than he was worth. The kiss was scheduled for sometime this week or next week, he really didn't care. He didn't plan to go watch it, he trusted the dementors to do their jobs. When he finally fell asleep he was unaware of his bathroom door opening and a girl walking into his room, up to his bed. He didn't feel her reach out with a shaking hand to smooth his hair back from his face; he also didn't feel the soft kiss she placed on his forehead before withdrawing and walking back to the bathroom. The door closed and Draco smiled slightly in his sleep before turning into his pillow and falling into a peaceful night's sleep.


	13. The Dream

I don't own anything...sigh

_

* * *

How could this happen to me  
I've made my mistakes  
Got nowhere to run  
The night goes on as I'm fading away  
I'm sick of this life  
I just wanna scream  
How could this happen to me _

Everybody's screaming  
I try to make a sound but no one hears me  
I'm slipping off the edge  
I'm hanging by a thread  
I want to start this over again

So I try to hold on to a time when nothing mattered  
And I can't explain what happened  
And I can't erase the things that I've done  
No, I can't

How could this happen to meI've made my mistakesGot nowhere to runThe night goes on as I'm fading awayI'm sick of this lifeI just wanna screamHow could this happen to me How could this happen to meI've made my mistakesGot nowhere to runThe night goes on as I'm fading awayI'm sick of this lifeI just wanna screamHow could this happen to me 

Lucius Malfoy had escaped from Azkaban. It was all over the papers the next morning, of course Draco didn't see them, he woke up in a dark cold chamber that was located in the Malfoy Manor. He twisted his head slightly, looking around but soon screamed in pain when he felt something sharp and hot gouge into his side.

"We don't scream, Draco, it's unbecoming of a man." his fathers voice said from some where far away, dripping with disgust.

Draco remained silent and closed his eyes again, praying his mother would come find him before it got too bad. His breath caught when he thought of the error that he had mad. His mother wasn't coming, she was dead. He felt the pain on his side again and bit his lip to stop from screaming out. He tasted blood but didn't loosen his jaw.

"Very good, Draco. You've learned well." his father said as a dirty, tattered shoe came into his vision. His father hadn't changed from his escape gear, it seemed.

"What do you want?" he spat at the shoes, refusing to look up into the eyes so like his own.

"What have I always wanted, Draco?" the cold voice said, the tone bored with the conversation already.

"Me dead." he answered, totally unfazed by the question and answer. "You've wanted me dead ever since Potter got seeker first year, probably even before that." he explained through stiff lips.

"My, My, Draco, it seem's you've been practicing this speech for some time." Draco stiffened from the note of pride his fathers voice carried. That was never a good sign.

"So what are you going to do now? Finally carry through?" he asked, heaving a sigh.

That was the wrong thing to do, it seemed. As soon as the puff of breath left his mouth his _fathers_ boot slammed into his rib's, he swore something broke, but refused to cry out once again. It wouldn't help anyway's. He'd just be wasting what energy he needed to run when the time arose.

"You know me so well, don't you Draco?" Lucius asked before something that looked like spit landed near Draco's face. "You always did take after your mother." he accused.

"Better her then you." the younger Malfoy spat.

"As much as I would love to continue this little spat, I must go." Draco watched as the shoes he already hated walked away from him.

They stopped when they got to the door. His father pulled the handle and slight flooded the room before he saw the shoes turn to face him again.

"Avada Kedavra." was the last thing Draco heard before his vision filled with a blinding green light, then his world went black.

* * *

"NOOOO!!!!!!!"

"What's wrong with you?" Draco heard from above him. His eyes opened to see Granger standing over him, a worried look on her face.

Draco looked around him and tried to move. He was covered in sweat and his mouth was completely dry. He looked at Granger again and saw she had a wet cloth in her hand.

"Are you okay, Draco?" she asked softly, a impossibly cool hand going on his shoulder to gently push him back down.

"What are you doing in my room?" he demanded, although it came off as a weak question.

"You woke me up with your screaming." she answered, smoothing his hair away from his face before she placed the cloth on his forehead. Cool water dripped down from the sides of his face to land on his pillow but right now he didn't care.

"I don't scream." he said, closing his eyes and sighing at the wonderful feeling the cloth was giving him.

"Fine, it's your story, tell it the way you want to." she answered before he felt her get up from the bed.

"Where are you going?" he asked, glancing over to her, she was now standing next to the bed.

"No where, I'm going just going stretch my legs a bit." she answered, holding her hands up.

"How long have you been in here?" he asked when she danced from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable.

"A couple of hours." she said softly, her hand brushing his cheek.

He closed his eyes at her touch and leaned his head into it. He heard her gasp in surprise but didn't care. It was a dream. That was it. His father hadn't escaped from Azkaban, everything was fine. Granger's hand felt good on his face. Hermione's hand felt good on his face.

"Thank you." he whispered, afraid she'd get freaked out an leave if he said it too loud. Even in she was a muggle, she treated him better than any one he could ever remember other than his mother.

She didn't back away, instead she sat back down on the bed. He felt her hand leave his face to land on his leg, her other hand went back to his face. She looked pretty when she wasn't talking, he realized. He closed his eyes again and leaned back into her touch. Tomorrow he'd worry about what was happening to him. Tonight he just wanted Hermione to stay in his room, on his bed. She got up and walked away and Draco opened his eyes to see where she went. He felt the bed dip on his other side and felt the covers lift. Hermione's hand came around his bare waste, the heat there disappearing almost instantly.

"What are you doing?" he asked, not turning around to look at her.

"Shut up, Draco. I'll leave you alone when you feel better." she mumbled into his back.

Draco laid there not moving. She was getting to comfortable talking to him now. He had to stop that. She was just a mud....muggle, if he got close to her his reputation would be ruined. He felt her breath on his back slow and knew she was asleep. He couldn't be thinking straight, he actually relaxed in her embrace and turned to put his arms around her. Yes, there was something defiantly wrong with him

* * *

**So did ya like it? leave some reviews to let me know please.**


	14. The Morning After

It's been a while but yes I've updated. I still don't own Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy... trust me thelist could go on. I hope ya'll like this chapter.

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_Your long brown hair  
Falling on your face the way it used to fall on mine  
At one time  
A long time ago  
I still remember everything you said to me that night_

Draco woke up the next day in a fog. He felt, before he saw, a person in his arms. He hadn't been trashed last night so it was a puzzle to him. That was until the night before came back to him in waves.

"Damn it." he muttered, snatching his arms to his chest and moving off of the bed as quickly as possible. "What the hell did I do?" he asked himself as he inspected the situation.

Granger was laying on her stomach, her hair on his, HIS, pillow, mouth slightly opened. Was that drool at the corner of her mouth?

"Granger! Get out of my room." he demanded, hoping he wouldn't have to touch her in order to wake her.

"Go away, to early." he heard her throw back at him. He raised an eye brow at her answer and looked around for something to poke her with.

He frowned when he came up with nothing and turned back to her. She was still sleeping, her eyes tightly closed and her mouth still hanging open, she'd been hanging around Weasel to much.

"Granger, I demand you get out of my bed." he ordered, drawing himself up to his full height.

"Go away!" she yelled at him, before turning over and dragging his sheets over her head.

"What the hell?" he asked himself, watching as she found a more comfortable spot in his bed.

He stared at her, expecting her to wake up if only by feeling his eyes on her, God knew he couldn't sleep with someone watching him. She seemed to have no problem though. He heard a slight snore coming from her and couldn't stop the laugh that came out. She didn't wake up at his out burst either. What in the hell got this girl up in the morning?

"Crook's?" she called out, her head peeking up from under the sheets.

"Your bloody cat is in your bloody room, Granger." he shot at her, hoping she would finally leave his room.

"What are you doing in my.... oh my gosh!." she exclaimed, jumping out of his bed and running for the bathroom.

Whatever the hell crook's was, Draco owed it a bag of Galleons. After a long shower, filled with scrubbing to get rid of all traces of Granger, Draco entered the common room.

"Malfoy? What was wrong with you last night?"Granger spat at him a while later when they were sitting on the common room couch, her reading a book and claiming to listen to music from a circular, almost flat tube like thing. He was just staring into the fire.

"Nothing was wrong with me last night. Why the hell did you come into my room" he countered, seeing no reason for her to be the one in a bad mood. He'd woken up with _her_ in his arms. Had the tables been reversed she probably would have had the best day of her life.

"So you woke me up with your screaming for nothing?" she asked, he could almost feel her roll her eyes at him.

"I don't scream." he said through gritted teeth.

"Fine, it's your story. Tell it the way you want to." she mumbled.

"Even if there was something wrong I don't see why you felt the urge to get involved." he pointed out, not bothering to glance at her.

"I thought you were in trouble or something, it's something we human being's like to do. Go figure, you hear someone scream and your first instinct is to help. Next time I'll just give you a swift kick in the shin and call it a night." she sighed, her book snapping closed.

"There won't be a next time." he assured her after a tense silence.

"I thought there wasn't a first time." she told him as she made her way to her room.

Just like a Gryffindor. Always have to get the last word in no matter what. He rolled his eyes and looked at what she left on the table. Her alleged music maker and 'Hogwarts: A History.' He wondered if all muggle's acted like she did or if her parents warped her mind at a young age like his did.

"Get away from my stuff, ferret."

"I wouldn't touch your things, Granger." he informed her, after moving away from the items in question. "I don't know what I could catch from it." he added, just to make her mad.

"Shut up." was all she said before collecting her things and taking them with her into her room.

Before long a.... well Draco wasn't to sure what it was, but it came out of Granger's room and made as to jump on the couch. He slammed his foot on the ground and smirked when the thing went running off back to where it came from.

"What did you do to my cat?" he heard Granger ask from behind him.

"What cat?" he asked turning around to come face to face with the beast. "That is not a cat." he said quickly.

"What did you do to Crook's?" she demanded again.

"That thing is Crook's?" he asked, shocked.

"Yes...." she answered warily.

"That thing is the first thing you think about in the morning?" he asked, disgusted with the animal and glancing up at her face, which was red and blotchy. "You look horrible." the words slipped out before he could stop them. Even if they hadn't he might have said them anyways.

"You prat!" she screeched at him, her arms tightening on the thing in her arms. It was not a cat for sure.

"What? Have you seen yourself?" he asked, not really caring, his attention already going back to the fire.

"Idiot." he heard her mutter before he felt the couch dip down next to him. Looking over he saw her lowering herself down and grimacing slightly when her back came in contact with the couch. He'd ask what was wrong but he didn't want to know.

"I prefer the term truth teller." he answered, serious as death and taxes.

"He has humor." she said sarcastically as the thing laid down on her lap and looked, for all the world, asleep.

"Shut up." he answered, standing up to leave to common room.

He expected her to get the last parting shot but was surprised, and for some reason disappointed, when he made it to his door without argument. Granger was a strange one indeed. There was something off with her at times and even though he didn't care why, he wanted to know.

"What the hell will happen to me this year?" he asked himself, not expecting an answer.

"The rest of your life." a voice said to him from behind him.

"What the hell?" he snapped, turning around to find nothing but thin air behind him. "Who's there?" he called, glancing around his room.

"Over here." the voice called.

Draco followed the voice and was led to a small portrait of someone who looked to be trying to be a fortune teller.

"Who the hell are you?" he asked, to stunned to come up with a more insulting remark.

"I am Madam Yesak." the portrait answered, her voice low.

"Go away." he ordered, tuning her out as he made his way to bed.

Trust Dumbledore to give him a room with a demented portrait in it. Granger probably go a portrait of a cat or something. He was getting the short end of the stick here and he knew it. Dumbledore was going to remove the offending portrait from his room if Draco had to twist an arm behind his back, or something like that. Muggle's are vague on some details. He hadn't seen Potty or Weasel in a while, maybe they fell off the face of the earth. One could only hope. Instead of going to bed he went into the bathroom to take a shower. He waited until the water was warm enough and stepped under the spray. He stood there for what seem like forever before washing properly and stepping out of the shower. He stalked over to his sink and pulled open Granger's drawer and took both tubes of toothpaste and closed it. Putting them in his drawer he brushed his own teeth and went to bed, rather proud of himself.


	15. The Scar

_I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad  
I got sunshine, in a bag  
I'm useless. but not for long  
The future is coming on  
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad  
I got sunshine, in a bag  
I'm useless, but not for long  
The future is coming on  
It's coming on_

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Finally someone let me out of my cage  
Now, time for me is nothing cause I'm counting no age  
Nah, it couldn't be this  
Nah, you shouldn't be scared  
I'm good at repairs  
And I'm under each snare  
Intangible  
Bet you didn't think so I command you to  
Panoramic view  
Look I'll make it all manageable  
Pick and choose  
Sit and lose  
All you different crews  
_

"Soulless Prat!" Hermione yelled to no one once she was safely tucked away in her room.

The bastard couldn't find anything better to do than pick on poor defenseless animals. His world must be a sad one. Rolled her shoulders and looked around her room, noticing a letter on her desk that she'd been refusing to open for two or three day's now. It was from Pansy. Sighing, Hermione made her way over to her desk and picked up the envelope gently, holding it a fair way away from herself incase it exploded. Not that Pansy would be able to come up with something like an exploding letter. She tore open the letter and read it, with an indifference she didn't know she had.

'Mudblood,

You BITCH! Don't you dare think you're ever going to take Draco away from me. He's mine! No one would ever touch your filthy body. Watch your back, Mudblood, I'm going to get my revenge one day! I've been with Draco for our hole lifes! You won't get him from me! BITCH.'

Hermione stared down at the letter, laughing at the misspelled words then laughed at herself. That had been the letter she'd been avoiding for day's? She would share the letter with 'The Ferret', but she didn't feel like dealing with him. At least she didn't sign the letter Pansy Parkinson-Malfoy. She laid on her bed and thought about the last few days. Malfoy had tread lightly on the few hours she could truly remember with happiness. Waking up in his arms was... perhaps the worst experience of her life. She'd woken up hour's before he had and tried to untangle herself from him but he held tight and she gave up. He'd been rubbing her back, right on her scar, something that un-nerved her. She hadn't told anyone about the scar, ever. Her parent's knew because they had to help her get the proper medical attention, but that's as far as it went, unless someone wanted to go digging up hospital files. She remembered the accident like it was yesterday. She'd just come home from summer camp one year during her grade school years. She knew something was wrong when she'd stepped into the house. Her mother didn't rush to meet her, her father didn't yell from the den that he'd boughten her a new book. Looking back, Hermione knew she should have known not to go much further into the house.

Flashback

"Mum? Dad?" Hermione yelled down the hall, hoping to get an answer.

When one didn't come she made her way to the kitchen, where her mother would most likely be. There was no sign of her mum, but there was a mess on the floor and drawers were hanging opened. Hermione frowned and started her search again, this time going to the den, hoping her father would be able to explain what was going on. When she reached her destination she found the den much like the kitchen, book's littered the floor and the desk drawers hanging open, papers hanging out of them. She backed up and turned to go to the front door. She was almost there when someone stepped in front of her, out of the coat closet. Who was it? She'd never seen him before.

"Ms. Granger?" the person asked, his voice deep and chilling. "Pleasure for you to join us."

She'd turned to run but fell when she was hit from behind with something, hard. She blacked out and wasn't sure where she was when she woke up. She woke up with someone's arms around her. Their hands were moving up and down her back, almost a caress, if she hadn't felt something sharp barely every pass their hands took. She cringed and stiffened when the movement stopped and the deep voice sounded again.

"Don't say a word or you'll live to regret it."

"Whe..." she started but instantly stopped to scream in pain when a sharp pain sliced through her back.

"What did I say?" the voice demanded after the pain stopped growing.

Hermione stayed silent before breaking into tears, her shoulders shaking and ultimately causing her back more pain. She'd just been sliced open with a knife and the man that did it held her in his arms like she held her teddy bear when she wen to sleep at night. She blacked out from the pain after minutes of silence, hoping that when she woke up it would all be a dream.

End Flashback

When she did wake up it had been hell on earth for her. Hermione remembered that part all to well. She'd opened her eyes to find her parents looking at her from the side of the bed. She was laying on her stomach and couldn't remember why until she moved to turn on her back. Pain ripped through her and stilled her instantly.

"Hermione, Love, don't move." her father said, leaning over the bars on the bed. She was in a hospital bed it seemed.

She still remembered having to listen to her parents explain how the man that did that to her had been unstable and had been arrested. She'd had to go to therapy after that, but she was fine now. She'd talked with the man years after and she'd been able to look him in the eye a few times. It was good therapy for her.

"Why now?" she asked, looking to the ceiling before closing her eyes.

The man that had done that to her had been described as an outstanding citizen, always helpful. The man was a liar and a bastard for what he'd done to her. She didn't talk to her parents about it after it happened. She never knew what happened to them but they didn't seem any worse for ware so Hermione didn't ask them. They didn't supply the information so she never found out. She'd asked how they found her once, but her mother broke into tears so she didn't ask again. Thinking back on it she could thank the man for her thirst for knowledge. She'd gone home, and instead of talking to anyone she'd gone into her room and read every book she had. She found it extremely relaxing, knowing that she could learn something without having to go through pain to learn the right way. The reason for her beginning the 'reading spree', as her father called it, had faded over time and she was left with knowledge and the desire to learn more.

Crook's jumped on the end of her bed and made his way up to her shoulder, where he sat down and started purring, lulling Hermione to sleep at the same time. She thought of what she would say to Pansy and Malfoy but was overcome by sleep before her plan was mapped out completely.


	16. It all falls down

I dont' own anything.

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_So many people like me put so much trust in all your lies  
So concerned with what you think to just say what we feel inside  
So many people like me walk on eggshells all day long  
All I know is that all I want is to feel like I'm not stepped on  
There are so many things you say that make me feel you cross the line  
What goes up will surely fall and I am counting down the time  
Cause I've had so many stand-offs to you it's about as much as I can stand  
So I'm waitin' until the upper hand is mine_

_One minute you're on top  
the next you're not watch it drop  
Making your heart stop  
Just before you hit the floor  
One minute you're on top  
the next you're not  
missed your shot  
making your heart stop  
you think you won  
And then it's all gone  
_

She wasn't in the common room when he went to breakfast; she wasn't in the first row during potions; she wasn't in the library every waking moment in between classes either. Draco didn't know why he noticed these things, but it began to bother him when he returned to the common room and found her books piled on the table.

"Granger" he called, his tone was bored but he was angry at her for making him notice her absence.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. If she wanted to be sick that was fine, but there was no reason for her to leave her crap all over the common room. He had had bad days but he didn't turn his bag upside down on the couch and table. It looked like there was an ink spot on the table too.

"Granger" he called again, this time not bothering to hide his emotions.

There was silence. Blowing out a puff of air he made his way to her door and pounded on it until it creacked open. She stood there, looking like a complete... Weasley, all red fur and a squashed looking face. Her hair was sticking up at odd angles; there were marks on her face; her clothes were wrinkled and ink stained. How could she live with herself?

"May I ask why you felt it necessary to leave all of your earthly possessions out on the common room floor" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean on the floor" she asked as she pushed past him. "There's nothing on the floor." she stated as he joined her to stare at the table.

"Your things are everywhere in the common room. Clean it up." he ordered.

She looked at him before turning to go back to her room. He stared after her, eyes wide as she walked through the door of her room. When was the last time someone had totally ignored what he had said. He was torn from his thought by something hitting him on the chest.

"What the hell" he yelled, looking at the offending object that lay on the floor at his feet. "Why the hell did you throw that at me" he demanded while dodging another book.

"You said that all of my earthly possessions were out here on the floor." she answered.

Another book flew out of her room followed by a square case and after that a silver frame. He was disappointed when the objects stopped flying and the beast she called a pet hadn't flown through the doorway. There was something about that thing he didn't like, other than the fact that it was a Weasley offspring. He could have salvaged the day if he'd seen it flying out of the room.

"Bravo, Granger. You've lived up to your blood." he called to her. "You've just made more work for yourself. If I come back out and find this trash on the floor, I'll throw it in the fire." he ended, smirking when she came out of the room and walked toward the mess she'd made.

It disappeared quickly when she only picked up the silver frame and the square case. He narrowed his eyes and turned to go to his room. He'd give her an hour before going back out.

"An hour, Granger." he called over his shoulder before reaching his door.

He opened the door and walked into his room. He glanced at the walls, the portrait catching his eye.

"Your feelings grow strong for the young witch." the freakish looking woman said in what he assumed was meant to be an eerie voice.

"Yeah, how could you see through me" he drawled sarcastically.

"Don't mock me, boy. I can't control what the cards say." she snapped at him.

"For some one so intuitive you seem to speak at the most inopportune times." he growled at the painting before going to the wall that boasted the small frame.

"Don't even try it." she said in a dark voice.

Draco was too busy reaching for the painting to listen. It held fast and grew hot in his hands.

"What the hell" he yelped before examining his tortured hands.

They looked all right but they burned. He wouldn't be able to write for the next week though; and he could blame it on that old bat Dumbledore. Why would you put a painting like that in the Head Boy's room in the first place?

"I told you not to try it." the painting lectured him. "You young people think that everything has to be your way." she muttered to herself.

"You old people think that you have the run of the house because you've gotten wrinkles and bad eyesight." he shot back at her finding nothing wrong with picking a fight with a painting.

"Young man" she sounded offended.

"Old woman." he said calmly as a smirk formed on his face. "Maybe you'll shut up now."

She drew in a breath as if to defend herself but he had his wand on the canvas before she could utter a syllable. He opened his mouth to berate the woman but was interrupted when the door to the bathroom burst open and Granger charged in.

"Where the...why are you pointing your wand at a painting" she asked after a few seconds of silence.

"She..." he started, only to be interrupted by her again.

"Forget it, I don't care. Give me my toothpaste back." she demanded as her opened hand was thrust at him.

"I don't have your damn toothpaste." he lied easily.

"Yes you do. I know you took it because you're the only possible person that could have taken it." she countered as she stepped towards him.

"Why would I want something that your filthy hand has touched" he asked before rolling his eyes.

Instead of speaking she turned and went to his desk. He looked on as she opened the first drawer, there was nothing in there he cared about enough to keep her from touching it.. She went to the next drawer down and he was behind her in an instant, one hand grabbing her arm, the other going around her waist to drag her away from his desk. She moved in his arms until he instinctively tightened his hold, bringing her closer to him. She stopped moving and he held her in place, enjoying the feeling of a girl in his arms before coming to his senses.

"I told you I don't have your bloody toothpaste, Granger. Never touch my things again." he spat at her before pushing her away from him.

She caught herself on his desk and looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes shooting daggers. When he only smirked she turned around to face him mouth already opened to spit some insult out at him. Instead of the shrill voice he had grown accustomed to, she issued a moan and crumpled to the floor.

"Damn it." he muttered darkly, staring down at her.

He picked her up and walked through the bathroom to walk into her room. He laid her down then turned to leave. Her room looked different; the shelves were white. What the hell? Why didn't his do that?

"Stupid Granger." he mumbled as he walked through the bathroom.

He stopped dead when he saw what he hadn't paid attention to before. Scattered on the floor were his comb, his brush, gel, toothbrush, floss, cologne, hair trimmers, and the small jar of goo that he'd given to her to help heal her wounds. She'd gone through his things. He turned to rush into her room, and then remembered she'd just passed out. Damn it, even when he had a valid reason to get pissed off he couldn't. It was Granger's fault in the first place. He walked back into her room and went over to her desk.

"My, my what have we here" he said to himself as he opened the top right drawer.

He pulled out the square case he'd seen her go back into the common room to get after her childish stint. He shook the square case and heard something hit the edges. After opening the case he saw a disk with a hole in the middle of it. One side had a picture of circles with the words 'Linkin Park Meteora' on the bottom. The other side was smooth and silver, like mirror. After examining himself for a few well deserved minutes he returned to the drawer. He extracted a book that was bound with a red ribbon; Her journal, no doubt. He thought about looking through it but decided that just saying he knew she had one would be enough to keep her quiet for at least two weeks. He tossed the book aside and took out the next item. It looked like a book as well. He opened the cover and saw that it was a photo album. The first page held four pictures. One was of a man and a woman with a baby in her arms. The picture didn't move so he assumed that it was her mother and father with her. The next picture was of a small baby with brown hair staring into the camera. It was Granger; the eyes were the same. He turned the page and found pictures of children that looked about 9 or 10, standing in three lines. All were looking at the camera and smiling. His gaze flickered over the faces until he came to a familiar face. The young Hermione was standing in the middle row on the end. She looked unhappy and Draco smirked. So she was used to being an outcast, that explained a lot. He lost interest in the album when the pictures started moving. They were all probably of Potty and Weasel. He slid the album back into the drawer along with the other items that had been taken out. He went to inspect her book collection next. "Blood lines and Blood ties." "Quidditch Through the Ages." "Discovering Your Past." "The Muggle Witch Project." those where the only names that stood out to him and he soon lost interest in the bookshelves also. He made a final sweep of the room before walking back into his own. He looked around to find the same white walls and dark wood shelves. Dumbledore was an old fool who hated Draco. He knew just how to piss the young man off, and damn if he didn't do it at every curve turn. If anyone deserved those damned shelves it was him!

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I want to say thank you to lyrabelaqua for being my beta, you have atrue talent for editing. 


	17. Potions

Disclaimer- I don't own them...

Thank you to lyrabelaqua for working on my grammar and all that good stuff. I hope ya'll enjoyed the chapter.

Thank you soo much to the following and I'm sorry it took so long for me to thank you

DCMMFAN, ElleFelton922, Laurenmm80, Orlilover16, babichu, JADECOWAN, sayain-sisters, Sun Kissed Rose, MalfoysAngels1985, Mrs-Star-Tom-Felton, yellowrosesinateacup,smarty402, Fallen4HPTF, rabidmunkee, Kara Black, Nekomo-Zryiah, Arestoktra, xputteckx, jesska-14, x JP x, plooshgirl, granger23

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_First the good news  
It's gonna feel really nice  
Then the bad news  
You gotta pay a heavy price  
Rip tide,we slide we ride on a deep forbidden sea  
Under we go-so slow  
And you're hanging onto me_

_And I say  
Oh oh one more addiction in my life  
Oh one more connection to let go  
Oh floating down the river  
out of sight forever (from my world)  
It's the only thing I know how to do_

_I reject you  
But I can't follow through  
I'd forget you  
But you'd end up tappin' on my back door  
Somehow I lost myself  
In a tunnel long and black  
Somewhere,at the end,I pretend  
There's a way of turning back_

Natalie Imbruglia- One More Addiction

'I don't want to feel this way, I don't want you to cry. I don't want to bring you down, when you were meant to fly. I've done everything in my power, to try to push you out. I've turned to close and lock the door, to find you asking what I'm about. You've been there through my good times and even through my worst, but most times I want you gone from here, sometimes I want you to hurt.'

Draco looked up from his parchment and glanced around the classroom. Snape was sitting at his desk in the front of the classroom, head down as he marked papers. The potions master stopped grading long enough to glance around the classroom, his expression blank and eyes narrowed. Draco met his gaze and held it for a second before glancing back down at his paper. When he looked back up Granger was turned around, following Snape's gaze to the back of the classroom, where he sat.

"Mr. Malfoy, is there a reason you feel that you are above doing the work assigned?" the teacher asked as he arched a black brow, noticing that Granger's gaze fell on Draco's empty cauldron and clean desk.

"I'm sorry, sir. I've done the assignment and I've already turned it into you." Draco explained before he became aware of the silence in the room. Everyone had stopped moving, and had even seemed to stop breathing, in order to listen to the conversation.

"Mr. Malfoy, please follow me." Snape said suddenly, standing up and walking through a door on the far wall of the classroom.

"Yes, sir." he answered as he stood up and followed the older man into the private lab.

"Draco, you may be my Godson but that doesn't make it right for me to give you work before classes. No one is to know of you completing lessons before class. I don't want to have this talk with you again. Now go back into the classroom and do the potion." Snape said in a low voice, partially for privacy, partially in anger.

"Yes, sir." Draco said again before turning and leaving the lab to join his classmates. He was in advanced potions so the class was rather small. Granger sat in the front row, of course, while everyone else in the class sat in the middle or back. She was the only Gryffindor in the classroom, he was the only Slytherin; you'd think they would band together to protect themselves from the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.

"Mr. Malfoy, your potion."

Draco turned slightly to see his Godfather staring at him and made his way to the back of the classroom. He sat in silence as he chopped Holltic root and added the ingredient into the potion. The Holltic root was the last ingredient to be added, so he gathered his supplies, put them away, and bottled the potion. The class was boring at best but it was easy for him. He got to complete assignments before classes, leaving him free time during potions to finish his work from Transfiguration. He wasn't the best in the class but there was no reason for his grades to reflect it.

"Draco, are you aware that class has ended?" Snape asked, jerking Draco from his thoughts.

Draco didn't answer, just stood and walked out of the classroom. He thought back to the poem he'd written in the beginning of class. He'd been thinking about his feelings toward the girl he shared a common room with.

"Watch it, Malfoy!"

"What?" He growled at the person who had just ploughed into him. "You just ran into me."

He looked into the face of Granger. She glared at him then bent down to pick up something on the floor.

"Why did you run into me?" he asked her as he nudged a book just out of her reach. He smirked when she sent another glare his way and the stretched her arm farther to reach the book.

"I didn't run into you, Ferret. I was standing here and you drove into me from behind. You weren't even watching where you were going." she hissed at him.

"Whoa, I thought all Gryffindor kittens were de-clawed before they came to Hogwarts." he laughed at her. "Granger, get out of my way." he said with a sigh while pushing her again when she gained her footing.

He walked away with a smile on his face as he heard her books fall to the ground once more. She muttered something about hexing his balls off and then he heard a sigh. He turned to look at her and found her leaning down picking up the books that had just fallen out of her arms for the second time in two minutes. Now she would stay out of his way. He made his way back to the common room, deciding to pass on lunch. When he opened the door to his room he found his owl on his desk.

"Asil, how did you get here?" he asked the owl as he walked over and relieved him of the letter.

"Do you have a letter from Raliegh?" he asked again, his voice raising an octave. He'd always had a soft spot for his owl. His mother had bought Asil for him when he was a first year. "Thank you, Asil."

He gave the owl a treat and ruffled its feathers. After the owl was comfortable on its perch Draco sat down on his bed to read the letter.

'Draco,

I miss you; Mama says that you're going to live with us in the summer. I can't wait. Are you going to show me how to ride a broom? You promised you would last time you were here. I learned a new spell. It's called Knots. It puts out lights, did you learn it yet? I have to go now; Mama says I have to go take a bath. I want you to teach me how to ride a broom when you come, Draco, PLEASE.

Love,

Raliegh Aleisha Malfoy'

Draco re-read the letter from his sister. She'd stayed with their aunt from basically birth, his father making it clear that a girl wouldn't fit into his plans. His father didn't want a child that wouldn't be able to carry the Malfoy name. She didn't know about the arrangement and probably never would. She thought he was a cousin that just happened to look exactly like her. Few people knew about her, then again she was only six, she hadn't had time to make her mark on the world. Goyle and Crabbe didn't know about her, his father wouldn't have known about her if he hadn't come home from a meeting and found his wife in labor. Lucius had a thing for leaving for months on end. The longest he was ever gone had been a year and seven months. Draco could remember that year being the best of his life. His mother had come out of her shell and they had acted like a family. After his father came home he didn't see his mother for almost a year. It was his punishment for acting like a child. He missed her; she didn't deserve the life she had.

"Malfoy? Why weren't you at lunch?" Granger asked from the bathroom door. He didn't know how long she'd been standing there but it didn't seem like it had been long.

"Why the hell do you care? I don't ask you why you're always at dinner pecking at your food like a bird. Stay out of my eating habits."

"Shut up, Malfoy. An owl came for you, then when it couldn't find you Dumbledore got the letter and gave it to me to give to you." she explained as she threw a letter at him. "I didn't look at it."

"I can tell, you stupid muggle. The seal isn't broken." he shot at her, smirking at the color that rose in her cheeks.

She turned and left the room, leaving him alone with the un-opened letter. He flipped it around and froze when he glanced at the seal.

* * *


	18. To Much Information

Don't own anything.

Thank you to lyrabelaqua for being my beta and cleaning up my grammar.

And another thank you to everyone who's been reveiwing, I'm glad ya'll are enjoying the story so far and I plan to keep chapters coming.

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* * *

he said I don't know if I've ever been good enough  
I'm a little bit rusty, and I think my head is caving in  
And I don't know if I've ever really been loved  
By the hand that's touched me, well I feel like something gonna give  
And I'm a little bit angry, well_

This ain't over, no not here, not while I still need you  
Around  
You don't owe me, we might change  
Yeah we just might feel good

_I wanna push you around, I will, I will  
I wanna push you down, I will, I will  
I wanna take you for granted  
I will _

he said I don't know why you ever would lie to me  
Like I'm a little untrusting when I think that the truth is  
Gonna hurt ya  
And I don't why you couldn't just stay with me  
You couldn't stand to be near me  
When my face don't seem to want to shine Cuz it's a little bit dirty well  
Matchbox 20- Push

Draco stared at the letter's seal and slowly turned the letter around once more. The handwriting was an all too familiar memory of his childhood. He could remember the letters coming by post and having to take them to his father in his study. It wasn't that the letters that scared him, it was his fathers reaction to them. He would get so... happy. Knowing that something made his father happy was the scariest thing Draco could think of. After a minute of hesitation he slowly turned the envelope over to break the seal and extract the letter. The paper was thick and heavy; it looked old. He opened the letter and read the contents.

"Damn it." he muttered darkly.

He'd never been aloud to read the letters his father was sent, but after reading the small messy handwriting he was sure it was from the same person. It told of how muggles were tortured at the man's hands and exactly what he did to them; it was disturbing. After staring at the paper in his hands for what seemed like hours, Draco folded the letter back up and stuffed it in the envelope. He was tempted to write back to the man but he didn't know if it would get through, there was no writing on the envelope other than his name.

"Malfoy, we have a prefect meeting tonight at 6 o'clock. Please be ready; we were late for the last one because of you." The bush head said from the door of the bathroom, her hands resting on her hips.

"It wasn't my fault, you know how long my showers are." he defended himself.

"It was too your fault. What would possess you to take a shower at 5:45 when you know we have to be there by six?" she asked as she threw a glare at him.

"You never told me what time the bloody meeting was! The only way I found out about it was when you started pounding on the door and saying we were late."

"I told you there is a meeting every Thursday at six o'clock when school first started up. Don't blame this on me."

Did she tell him that? He couldn't really remember. It wasn't like he liked being late; Malfoys didn't lower themselves to the standards of the lowly by thinking it was fashionable to be late. There was no point in it; they wouldn't be able to see everyone in the room.

"We don't have classes this afternoon; get ready before five o'clock or I'm throwing you into the shower myself." she threatened him. She must want to get him back for throwing all of her junk into the fireplace but, to his defense, he had told her exactly what he was going to do an hour beforehand.

"You're too weak to lift me up. Don't make threats you don't intend to keep."

"Just be ready by five o'clock." she warned before turning to leave the room.

Six o'clock found Hermione sitting on the common room couch glaring at the bathroom door. After five minutes she stood up and pounded on the door in question.

"What?" was yelled from the other side of the door.

"I said to be ready an hour ago! What the hell is your problem?" she yelled back.

"Then go to the stupid meeting yourself." was the only response she got back.

"You're worse than a girl." she muttered under her breath before walking back to the couch to sit down for another wait.

Five minutes later Draco breezed into the room looking fresh and clean. He glanced at her at smirked.

"About time." she huffed at him as she led him to the portrait. "We're already ten minutes late. Don't do anything else to make Professor Dumbledore question us." she warned him as she opened the door and made her way to the prefect meeting.

"I hate you! I honestly can say I hate you." Hermione screamed at Draco when they stepped into the common room after the meeting.

"Why do you hate me? It wasn't my fault Weasel has a soft spot for you." he yelled back.

"It doesn't matter! You're demented, do you know that!" she answered, matching his tone.

"Next time don't throw every item of clothing you own into the damn common room to make a bloody point!"

"Next time don't give me reason to make a point!"

"That made no sense."

Her face turned red and she started sputtering incoherently.

"You look like a fish, Granger." he observed, smirking when she turned a bright shade of red and stormed out of the room to her dorm. It wasn't really his fault that the subject of her clothing styles came into the meeting. Dumbledore had left already and she had brought up what the girls should wear to the first ball of the year. He kindly pointed out to her that all the clothes she had were in ashes in the common room, she wouldn't have even been able to wear those cute green underclothes she'd had so much of. Weasel turned red, of course, and started sputtering on about how Draco couldn't have Hermione. Like he wanted that bush head. She got mad and declared she was never talking to Draco again. She didn't even keep her threat to him, she'd ranted and raved the whole way back to the common room. He'd yelled at her the first five minutes of walking, reminding her that she wasn't talking to him anymore, but her voice had only gotten louder and higher.

"Shut up, Malfoy! You're such an idiot." she blasted at him, trying to get under his skin.

"Granger, shut up. I don't have the time or the patience to listen to you whine today. It was your fault in the first place. Who has a temper tantrum and then throws all of their earthly belongings into the bloody common room? You're bent." he said as an answer, relaxed as he could ever remember being.

She glared at him and flung herself into a chair by the fireplace. Rolling his eyes Draco let out a sigh and closed his eyes, thankful for the silence.

"You're such a prat."

"Get over it, Granger. I thought you didn't walk to talk about it in the first place?" he asked while not bothering to open his eyes.

He heard her huff and prayed an ember from the fire would fly up and ignite her hair. She'd been mad about one thing or another the whole school term and she didn't seem to be showing any signs of breaking the habit. He heard a tapping noise after a minute of silence but didn't bother to find out the source, she'd take care of it anyway.

"Ferret, get your bird." The overbearing witch hissed at him when the tapping continued for a minute or so.

"How do you know it's my bird, Granger? Maybe it's an admirer of yours." he shot back, opening his eyes and glancing at the window. Asil stared back at him. "Damn it." he muttered before pulling himself off of the couch and over the window. "Hey Asil, how are you, sweetheart?" he cooed to the bird in a voice he hoped wouldn't be heard by Granger.

"Sound's like you're an admirer of him, Malfoy."

"Quiet Granger." he said in a normal tone. "Come on, Asil." he said to the owl, his voice rising again.

He led the owl to his room and closed the portrait. After Asil was situated on his perch Draco untied the letter from his leg and gave him a treat for his troubles. After looking at the handwriting he saw it was from the man again. He opened the envelope and read the contents of the letter. It explained why he was now getting the strange letters. His father had arranged that Draco was to receive all of the letters and be kept up to date of the treatment of muggles. The letter was a detailed description on how a muggle family was captured and tortured the day before. They were parents of a muggle-born witch. In the letter the man had said he was going back to finish the job he'd started a number of years ago on the daughter but she wasn't there. The parent's were in St. Mungo's now. He didn't write the name down but said that Draco should know what he was talking about.

"Of all the rubbish." he muttered before throwing the letter onto the floor. "Honestly, why would I want to know about some stupid muggle, much less know a name?"


	19. And then he kissed me

I've finally updated. I hope everyone likes the new chapter, it's one of my longer ones.

Big thanks to lyrabelaqua for being my beta and cleaning up my grammar.

A huge thanks for everyone who's either read and reviewed or read the story.

_

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_

_I'm supposed to be the soldier who never_

_blows his composure  
Even though I hold the weight of the whole_

_world on my shoulders I ain't never_

_suppose to show it, my crew_

_ain't supposed to know it  
Even if it means goin' toe to toe with_

_the Benzino it, don't matter  
I never drag them in battles that_

_I can handle, less I absolutely have to  
I'm supposed to set an example,_

_I need to be the leader,_

_My crew looks for me to guide 'em  
If some shit ever pop off I'm suppose to be beside 'em_  
Eminem- Toy Soldiers

Hermione stared at Malfoy's closed door before a knock pulled her attention to the main door of the common room. She sighed and glanced back at the ferret's door before she made her way to see who was there.

"Hey, Hermione." Ron stood in the doorway shuffling his feet.

"Hello, Ron." she answered with a smile, "Would you like to come in?" she asked as she stepped aside.

"Um...okay." he said after a long silence.

When he passed by her, Hermione saw the tip of his ears turn a pale pink. She smiled at him when he was fully in the room and the pink turned to a flaming red. She closed the door and gestured him to sit in front of the fireplace. Ron looked around to where she was nodding and sat down.

"What are you doing here Ron?" she asked when he stared at her.

"I've been wondering..." he started, only to be interrupted by the slamming of the bathroom door.

The two Gryffindors looked over to the door to find Draco standing there, arms crossed in front of his chest, and a glare set firmly in place.

"You could have used the door in your room, Ferret." she spat at him before turning back to Ron, who was now standing and slightly in front of her.

Hermione studied Ron while Draco began to speak.

"What are you doing here, Weasel?" the Slytherin hissed at Ron.

"That's none of your business, Ferret." He threw back through gritted teeth. Although Hermione couldn't see his face, she could tell his jaw was clenched; it almost always was when Draco was in the room.

"That's where you're sadly mistaken, Weasel. It's my common room as well." the blond answered as he joined 2/3rds of the Golden Trio. "If I don't want you here, I can make you leave."

"Not if I want him here." Hermione said, stepping up to Draco, no longer afraid of what he'd do to her; if he hit her he'd lose head boy.

"Don't get so close to him, Hermione. You could get infected." Ron said when she stood toe-to-toe with the enemy.

"Stay out of this, Weasel." the aforementioned enemy threw at Ron.

Hermione glared at Malfoy and then backed down from the snake. Grabbing Ron's hand, she dragged him to her room and slammed the door.

"Hermione, you can always go back to the girl's dormitory in the tower." Ron assured her, glancing around her room as if to see how long it would take to pack all of her things.

"I'm fine, Ron. Don't worry." she let him know while placing a hand on his arm. "Really, he can't do anything to hurt me." she added when he didn't seem convinced.

"I don't like it, Hermione."

Hermione frowned at the tone of his voice. He sounded like her father did when she'd first gotten the letter from Hogwarts.

"Ron, I'm fine." she tried again.

Ron crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a hard stare. Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to her bed and flopped down.

"What did you want, Ron?" she asked after throwing an arm over her eyes.

"I wanted to ask if you would..."

"Granger?" Draco said, coming through the door.

"For the love of... Malfoy, go away." Ron said, glaring at the intruder.

"It's my right to be here, Weasel."

"Not in 'Mione's room." Ron yelled.

"Ron, don't." Hermione warned, her hand once again going to Ron's arm.

"Why are you in here, Ferret?" Ron asked.

"I had to speak to Granger."

"Then do it and get out." Ron ordered still glaring.

"Shut up and get out Weasel."

"Malfoy leave. We can talk later." Hermione intervened, seeing that the two boys in front of her were close to fighting...but over what? "Just go and we can talk later." she repeated when he stared at her.

"Fine. This isn't over Weasel." He answer answered over his shoulder, halfway to the bathroom.

"Hermione, now that there will be _no more interruptions_," Ron started with a pointed look at the now closed bathroom door. "I was wondering if I could ask you a question."

"You've said that already, Ron." Hermione pointed out.

"Oh...um...do you want..." He trailed off and Hermione strained to hear what he had said.

"What? Honestly, Ron, if you want to ask me a question just ask me." she noticed his face turned as red as his hair.

"Would you go to Hogsmeade with me?" he asked clearly as he lifted his chin.

Hermione was surprised by his question. She'd heard he liked her but he'd never treated her any different so she thought it was just talk. She watched as he watched her, nervously placing his weight on one foot, then the other.

"Yes." she answered as a loud crash came from the other side of the bathroom door.

"What the hell was that?" Ron asked as he stalked to the door and flung it open.

Draco was sprawled on the bathroom floor, staring up at Hermione with a hurt expression.

"It's not my fault you fell over." she snapped before he could say anything to her. She knew his expressions well by now.

"I wasn't going to blame you anyways." he shot back as he stood and brushed himself off. "It's just like a Weasley. Scraping the bottom of the barrel to get a date for the weekend." The blond prince of Slytherin said with disgust before storming off into his own room.

"Was he listening to us?" Hermione asked, more to herself then Ron, who answered anyway.

"Of course he was. It's just like a ferret to go and listen to other people's conversations."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron and walked out of the bathroom, wondering why Draco was listening in the first place. She heard Ron follow and turned to face him.

"So I'll meet you in the court yard, Friday?" Ron asked with, what seemed like, a shy look to Hermione.

"Yeah, Friday." she agreed and was surprised when Ron leaned forward and kissed her cheek before leaving her room. A smile slowly formed on her face as she replayed the scene with Ron over in her head.

"Granger?"

Hermione sighed and turned to face the open bathroom door. "What do you want?" she asked, the newly formed smile slipping from her face.

"We have a meeting on Friday. An all day meeting." he informed her before turning to go to his room again.

"No we don't." she called after him.

"Yes we do. Dumbledore said we can call emergency meetings whenever they were needed." Draco informed her without stopping.

Hermione followed him into his room and glared at him as he sat on his bed. She haddn't heard Dumbledore say a single thing that even suggested emergency meetings.

"He said no such thing." she countered.

"You weren't listening when he said it." He answered back, sounding like the prat he truly was.

"I was listening to every word he said and he said no such thing."

"Then you can explain to him why you skipped a meeting going to Hogsmeade." the blond said smugly, knowing she hated to miss anything concerning head duties. "I'll see you on Friday." he threw into the silence before he turned around and left her room, hopefully for good.

"Bastard." she muttered under her breath. He was getting weirder and weirder as the days went by.

Hermione thought about what to do. She had to talk to Dumbledore about the supposed meeting but, knowing the headmaster he would likely agree with Draco in saying it was a perfect time for a meeting. She had to talk to the ferret no matter how much she didn't want to.

"Malfoy?" she called, sitting on her bed. He didn't answer. "MALFOY!" she yelled, knowing he'd heard her the first time.

"What?" he answered, not showing up in her room like she'd expected.

"Wait a minute." she said, mostly to herself, as she made her way through the bathroom and into his room, where he laid lazily on his green silk encased bed.

"What?" he asked again as he threw, what looked to be, a replica of a snitch from his left hand to his right.

"We can't have the meeting on Friday." she stated, giving him her best glare.

"Yes, we can and yes, we will." he answered with a bored tone. He didn't even glance up at her so the glare was useless.

"No, I have plans on Friday. We can do it Saturday."

"No, we can't, I have Quidditch practice. We're doing it Friday." he answered smoothly.

"I can't do it on Friday." she insisted.

"Weasel is more important than your head duties?" the blond asked with surprise.

"What? No, I... what I do is none of your business! You made up that meeting to keep me from having a life. Just because your life is for crap right now doesn't mean that you have to make everyone else's life miserable." she exploded at him. "What is your problem anyway?" she demanded when he just stared at her.

"I don't have a problem. I happen to believe that Head duties are number one to everything."

"Except for Quidditch practice?" she shot back in a cool tone.

"Shut up." was his only answer.

"I'm going to Hogsmeade this Friday." she said stubbornly.

"Fine, then we can go together. We can shop and talk about head duties at the same time." said the sudden multi-tasker.

"You know I'm going with Ron." she said through gritted teeth.

"And now you're not. You either go with me or you don't go at all." He didn't even blink when she let out a frustrated sigh and stomped her foot on the floor.

He'd given her a choice, but she didn't like either one. What was with him? He didn't even like being in the same room with her, how was he going to act when the walked side-by-side along the crowded streets? He was being unreasonable.

"Just move the damn meeting." she demanded while storming up to his bed and snatching the golden snitch, that he'd been tossing the entire time, out of the air. "At least look at me when I'm talking to you." she hissed at him.

He looked surprised at her actions but the look on her face must have warned him not to speak.

"I have something to do but if you insist on making it difficult, turn about is fair play. If you want to have the meeting then you're going to walk around with Ron, Harry and me at Hogsmeade. I don't want to hear any excuses. If you don't like it then I suggest you keep it to yourself, suck it up, and paste a smile on your pointed face." she berated him while moving closer. They were mere inches away when she stopped her rant, as Harry and Ron had often called 'her speeches'.

Draco stared at her through eyes as big as saucers before he leaned forward to join their lips. She was too surprised to pull back... at first.

"What the hell was that?" she questioned after tearing her self away from him while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I don't know." Draco's voice showed his amazement. "I accept your terms, Granger." he said after a moment of silence.

Hermione stood rooted to the spot for a minute before she made her way back to her room. 'Malfoy, Prince of Slytherin, just kissed me' she thought to herself 'and I liked it.' she finished before a stunned silence fell over her. "Ron and Harry are going to hate me for this." she groaned, not knowing if it was for letting Malfoy tag along with them, or enjoying a kiss with the enemy


	20. Hogesmeade

I'm very proud of this chapter, it took me awhile butI've finally posted.

Thank you to lyrabelaqua, my beta, for looking over this chapter for me, you rock.

And a huge thank you to eveyone that has reviewed or read my story/stories, ya'll make unbelievably happy.

_

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_

_Itried to help you once  
Against my own advice  
I saw you going down  
But you never realized  
That you're drowning in the water  
So I offered you my hand  
Compassion's in my nature  
Tonight is our last dance_

_I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut  
My weakness is that I care too much  
And our scars remind us that the past is real  
I tear my heart open just to feel  
Scars- Papa Roach_

Friday came far too quickly for Hermione's liking. She hadn't spoken to Ron or Harry since… that day. They were totally unaware of the prat that would be accompanying them on the trip to Hogsmeade.

"Granger, shouldn't you be getting ready? Potter and Weasel will be waiting for us." the central source of all her problems said from the doorway of his room.

"Shut up, Malfoy." she spat at him before going into her room to change.

She walked into her room and stopped short of her dresser. On her bed sat a pair of pants, a sweater and a bra and panty set. The sweater and underwear were Slytherin green. After a minute of silence, Hermione stepped forward and ran a hand over the sweater. It wasn't hers, it didn't even look to be a girl's.

"Wear that, or we stay here." she heard to her left.

She spun around to stare at a smirking Draco Malfoy.

"What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, her hand gesturing to the clothing on her bed.

"I thought it would be obvious to you." he threw back, an eyebrow arching.

Hermione stared at him, her mouth hanging open in stunned surprise. He'd gone through her things. He'd gone into her room, looked inside her dresser and touched her things.

"Get changed, Granger. We haven't all day." Draco ordered.

"Get out and I will." She reasoned.

"I don't see why I should, it's not like I haven't seen you nude before." he said simply.

"What do you mean?" she asked, the blood in her veins turning cold at his recent speech.

"You should take better care to lock the bathroom door or at least let some one else know you're in there." he reasoned, the smirk that had graced his face falling back into place. "Honestly, Granger."

Hermione watched as he gave her a once over, turned and made his way out of her room and into his own room. She stared at his still opened door, and then turned to sit on her bed. He'd seen her naked before. She couldn't be sure if he was being honest or not, but the fact that he would even say such a thing wasn't very encouraging. After another five minutes of mental contemplating, Hermione stood up, closed the bathroom door and turned to the clothes on the bed.

"Hurry up, Granger. Wouldn't want to leave lover boy and ever faithful Potter waiting now would you?" he called though her door. At least he'd moved to the common room; he had no idea what her password was.

"Shut up, Malfoy. I'm coming." she called back; peeling her clothes off before donning the attire already laid out for her.

Making her way into the common room, she saw Malfoy sitting on the couch and reading a book.

"Interesting choice of books, Granger." he said after she cleared her throat to get his attention.

"We're going to be late, Malfoy. As you've pointed out at least four times in the last hour." she informed him, her hands on her hips and her head cocked to the side.

"Not until you've put…" he glanced up and his eyes showed surprise. "You've actually done something without arguing?" he asked cautiously. As if she argued with him about everything.

"I don't have time for this. Are we going or not?" she asked, already heading for the door.

She could only guess whether or not Draco followed her, she really didn't care to look back and check. If he was going to make this a bad day for everyone she felt no reason to try and aid him in the process.

"Slow down, Granger." he called from behind her.

She was going a normal speed, the prat.

"Slow down!" he sounded a bit mad now.

"I'm not even walking fast." she called over her shoulder. "If you would stop acting like a prat, you'd see that and keep up."

She heard him mumble something under his breath but didn't catch it. When she finally made it to the court yard where the third years and up were meeting to leave, she made a break for Harry and Ron, trying to do damage control before the situation actually came.

"Hi Hermione." Harry greeted, smiling at her.

"Hello Harry, Ron." she said with a nod to both boys.

Ron looked fidgety and remained silent. She smiled at him, not sure what else to do, and saw him blush.

"Hermione." he answered with a nod of his head.

"Granger, I told you to slow down." Draco called from behind her.

She closed her eyes and grimaced when she heard his voice. He would make this day horrible if he had the chance.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Ron questioned, his hand grabbing Hermione's arm to pull her towards him.

"I have to bring him with us." she said, her eyes closed, waiting for the outburst.

"What do you mean you have to bring him with us?" Ron exploded.

"Sound it out, Weasel, it shouldn't be that hard for you." Draco said with a smirk.

"You're not helping this, you know." she glared at him.

"Now you're actually speaking to him?" Ron said, sounding a bit sick.

"Of course I'm speaking with him, Ronald. I have to." She added when she felt his hand tighten on her arm, "Will you please let go of me."

"I should have known better then you have asked you out. You're more worried about being bloody Head girl then being alone with me." Ron sulked.

Hermione stared at him with wide eyes. "What? I have to do this or he'll tell Dumbledore and I'll get in trouble." she tried to reason.

"Sure, of course. Being with the enemy to have a status is more important then being with someone who actually cares for you. Let's go, Harry, I'm going to be sick if I stay here much longer."

"Ron, you know it's not like that." she called to his retreating back. She looked at Harry with pleading eyes. "Harry, please talk to him and make him understand."

"I'll try, Hermione, but you have to admit, when you ask someone out and then they show up with someone else, your enemy at that, you tend to get a little mad." Harry said softly, not wanting Draco to overhear.

"But it's not like that, Harry. I have to bring him." she said through clenched teeth.

"Only to still have Head girl status. What's more important, Hermione, being Head girl or being Ron's friend?" Harry asked before turning to walk away.

She stared at him until he was lost in the crowd. She'd made the right decision and it still turned out bad.

"Granger, we have to go to the Head's carriage." Draco said with a not so gentle push forward.

She refused to look back at him. It was his fault in the first place. If he'd have moved the meeting to another day it would have been fine and she would be in a carriage with Harry and Ron, having a good time. Now she was forced to share a carriage with Draco.

"Are you going to say anything?" he asked as if nothing was wrong.

She stared at him.

"Fine, I'm used to having one-sided conversations." he said with a shoulder shrug.

Still she stared at him.

"So how has your day been, Granger?" he asked, staring at her. "Really, must have been a blast." he answered himself with a smirk.

"Shut up."

"She speaks" he said as he put a hand over his heart.

"If it weren't for you, I would be sitting happily with Harry and Ron. Now neither will speak to me." she finally stated.

"Ah, she speaks too much. Do you really think you would be sitting with Potty and Weaselbee? We're Heads, we have to sit together." he sighed.

"You seem to be enjoying it more then I am." she pointed out to him.

"I'd enjoy you're horrid singing if it meant I didn't have to give up my position." he explained.

"My singing is not horrid." she protested. "How do you know anyways?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"You sing in the shower… loudly." he answered as a dull red covered his cheeks.

"I do not." she instantly shot at him, even though she knew he was telling the truth. "Why didn't you ever tell me that I sing in the shower?" she asked suspiciously.

"You're not that horrible." was his answer.

She narrowed her eyes slightly then leaned back and looked out the window. She could hear him fidgeting in his seat across from her. What did he have to be nervous about, he invited himself here?

"What do we have to discuss, Malfoy?" she asked into the silence.

"When do you want the fist ball to be?" he asked.

"You know the first ball is the Halloween ball." she said with limited patience.

"Oh."

"Well what else did you want to talk about?" with a huff when the silence stretched.

"Why type of ball is it going to be?" he asked lamely.

"We've discussed this in the meeting also. If all of your questions are answered, I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak to me."

"Testy, are we?" he asked, an eyebrow arching.

"Why have you asked, no, demanded, that I go to Hogsmeade with you?" she asked, not expecting an answer.

She wasn't disappointed when he stared at her blankly. He was a strange one, she'd give him that.

"We're here." she said needlessly when the carriage rolled to a stop.

"Excellent deduction, Granger." he muttered, mostly to himself.

She stepped out of the carriage and made her way to a new book store that had just been opened.

"Granger, forgetting someone?" Draco called from behind her. She cringed at his voice but stopped none the less.

"Hurry up." was all she answered back.

She saw him catch up to her out of the corner of her eye and then made her way to The Book Case. She expected to hear complaining when they stepped through the doors, but was surprised to see he was just as eager to look at the newest selection of books as she was.

"Have you seen the new potions book that came out?" he asked in a friendly tone.

"No, I've read about it." she answered, distracted by the display of the book in discussion.

"I've heard it's better then the first one, 'The Art of Perfecting a Potion'." he said as he led the way to the display.

They both picked a copy of the book and began to read the inside dust-cover.

"I think I'll be getting this one." she while tucking the book under her arm.

"Mind if I look at it when you're done?" he asked as he set his book down.

"Of course you can. I've heard that a new charms book has come out, want to check it out?" she asked, going into bookworm mode rather then forced to be with enemy mode.

"I haven't heard about that one. Lead the way."

Hermione smiled as he bowed deeply then turned and walked to the charm section of the rather large store.

"Here it is." she announced as she reached for a book that her fingertips barely grazed.

"I'll get it." he said, moving her hand aside and grabbing the book for her.

She smiled her thanks at him and opened the dust cover of the book to read the introduction. It didn't sound at exciting as the magazine she'd read made it sound. She felt Draco looking over her shoulder at the dust cover and looked back at him with doubt in her eyes, not about his closeness, surprisingly enough, but about the book she held.

"That sound's drier then dust." he proclaimed with a slight smile on his face.

"I concur." she said with a slight smile.

She handed the book back to him so he could return it to the shelf. They spent the better part of the trip in The Book Case, leaving only when they had half an hour left until the carriages arrived to take them back.

"A butterbeer and the Three Broomsticks?" he asked and took her hand when she nodded.

She didn't notice Harry and Ron staring in disbelief when she walked through the door of the pub, nor did she notice Ron's face turn a bright shade of red when she sat down at a table while Draco got their drinks. She smiled up at Draco when he turned up with the drinks and pulled out one of the books she'd purchased. They bent their heads together to discuss the techniques described in the Transfiguration book, 'Tomato, Potato, They can All be the Same'. They started a conversation about potions class that led to an argument about Snape showing favoritism to the Slytherins, something Draco considered very unlikely. They resolved the argument in time to have a pleasant journey back to Hogwarts. As she stepped out of the carriage, Hermione was faced with a very disturbing thought. She'd just spent an entire Hogsmeade with Draco Malfoy and had a more enjoyable time then she'd ever had with Harry or Ron. She looked around to see if the two boys were around and was relieved to find they weren't. She hadn't seen them all day, maybe that was a good sign. She felt someone pushing her gently and turned to find Draco pressing a hand lightly on her back, his other carrying her bag from the book shop. He smiled at her and she found herself smiling back before she could even think to. He'd been civil this whole trip. He'd gone into a book store with her and not complained a single time, barring the whine he'd emitted when she dragged him into the muggle studies section. Harry or Ron would have shuddered at the thought of spending that much time in a book store. She was confused now, what was going on with Draco and her? It was almost like they were… friends.


	21. Emergency Head Meeting

Disclaimer- I don't own anything.

Thank you to my beta lyrabelaqua, you rock.

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_Tough, you think you've got the stuff  
You're telling me and anyone  
You're hard enough  
You don't have to put up a fight  
You don't have to always be right  
Let me take some of the punches  
For you tonight_

_Listen to me now  
__I need to let you know  
__You don't have to go it alone_

_We fight all the time  
__You and I...that's alright  
__We're the same soul  
__I don't need...I don't need to hear you say  
__That if we weren't so alike  
__You'd like me a whole lot more  
__U2- Sometimes you can't make it on your own_

Draco sat in his room staring at the letter on his desk. The man who'd been writing had sent another letter.

"Draco?" he heard, a split second before the door to the bathroom opened to reveal Hermione.

"Yeah?" he asked, snatching the letter off of the desk and stuffing it back into the envelope, then throwing it on his desk next to a pile of parchment.

"Why were you nice to me today?" she asked.

"I don't know." he answered with a shrug. She'd come into his room to ask him something like that?

"I...you...hmm." he looked up at her when she seemed to be able to form a sentence.

"What?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Here." was all she said before a letter was pushed at him and she turned and fled the room.

Draco glanced down at the letter and then back up at the now empty doorway. He'd been nice to her because it was the first time he'd actually been able to enjoy a Hogsmeade visit in a bookstore instead of Zonko's. His eyes returned to the letter and his eyes grew wide. He picked up the envelope that he'd thrown down before she'd come in. Same hand writing, only different addresses. He glanced back up at the doorway again, to make sure she was truly gone, then opened the letter and read.

'Mudblood,

You're disgusting. I should have finished you off while I had the chance. I saw you in Hogsmeade, in the book store, actually. You've really grown since I've last saw you. Of course, I don't expect you to remember me. It's been so long and I don't think I made a huge impression in your life. How is the back, by the way? I've heard that back injuries are dreadful when healing. Do tell me how you got through it. I've been told that you and Draco Malfoy are spending time together- imagine my surprise to see you both entering a book store and exiting at the same time, holding hands down the street no less. Everything is going according to plan; you only have to wait a little while longer before the plan is revealed to you- ask Draco sometime- he might be willing to tell you. I'm afraid this is good-bye for now. I seem to have an aching toothache that is in great need of attention, but don't worry; I've found the perfect dentists for my problem, Granger & Granger. Well, I must go. Wouldn't want to keep the good dentists waiting.

T. F.

Draco stared at the parchment in his hands and then tore his eyes away to once again look at the doorway; it was still empty.

"Hermione?" he called as he stood up and walked through the bathroom to her room. She wasn't there. "Hermione?" he called again as he walked through her room and into the common room.

Glancing around the common room he could tell she wasn't there either.

"Draco?" he heard from the portrait hole.

Glancing up he saw Hermione, eyes wide, staring at him. "Where were you?" he asked before taking a seat on a couch.

"I had to talk to Dumbledore." she answered as her face grew pale, as if just remembering something awful.

"About the letter?" he asked unnecessarily.

"Yes. Do you have it still? He wants to see it." she answered while glancing at his empty hands.

"Yeah, I have it. Wait here, I'll go and get it." he assured her before pulling himself off of the couch and making his way back into his room.

He grabbed the letter and went back into the common room.

"Here." he said when he walked over to her. "What are you going to tell Dumbledore?" he asked out of curiosity.

"Let me worry about that." she said curtly before taking the letter and walking out of the dorm.

Draco stared at her before following. "What the hell does that mean, 'let me worry about that'?" he asked as he caught up with her.

"Why should I tell you anything? You'll go running back to let all the stupid Death-Eaters what my next move is!" she exploded at him as she came to a stop and whirled to face him. Just leave me alone! I've put all of that behind me and just when I think I've gotten over it, you come along, demand that I go with you and it all comes back. Why the hell did you do that? You had no right! I know you hate me, I've come to that conclusion along time ago, but you sunk to a new low when you dug this up to throw at me. You make me sick!" she ended before she set off again towards Dumbledore's office.

Draco stared after her in shock. She'd just accused him of having anything to do with the crazy deranged person that sent her the letter. He admitted that he wasn't the most honorable person, but he wouldn't stoop so low as to associate with the filth that wrote the letters. After an inner battle, he ran after her and made his way to Dumbledore's gargoyle just in time to see it spring back into place. Damn, he'd never been good at naming sweets.

"Pumpkin pastries." he said in a commanding voice, only to find that gargoyle in the same place. "Damn, uh… Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans." he tried again in a slightly less commanding tone. Still nothing. "Those blasted thing's he's always trying to shove on everyone. What's their name… lemon bean? No… lemon… lemon drop!" he guessed again and gave a sigh of relief when the gargoyle jumped aside and let him step onto the stairway that instantly began moving.

"Ah, Mr. Malfoy. Please come in." he heard from the door as soon as he stepped off of the steps and onto the small landing.

He sighed and opened the door to find Hermione sitting in a chair opposite of the headmaster. She didn't look to be in the best mood so he nodded at her and greeted the headmaster with a 'hello' before sitting down next to the Head girl.

"I am aware that you have read the letter that Miss. Granger has received today. I am very disturbed by the contents and would like to ask if you have any idea of how or why she has been contacted." Dumbledore said, his eyes devoid of the familiar twinkle.

"I've been getting the letters since the beginning of term, actually." he started. "My father hired him for… he was hired by my father. I received a letter as well, telling me that I was watched in Hogsmeade today. I didn't see anyone out of the ordinary though.

Hermione showed me her letter after I read mine… that's all I really know."

"I see." the old wizard said to the two teenagers sitting across from him. "Mr. Malfoy, are you aware that Miss. Granger was attacked by a wizard before she came to Hogwarts?"

Draco glanced at Hermione and then back at Dumbledore. "No, sir, I wasn't." he said quietly.

"Yes, it was terrible."

"How was she able to come back Hogwarts so soon after the attack?" he asked as his mind flashed back to the scar on her back. It looked as though it had healed years ago.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy. When I said before Hogwarts, I meant before first year. How old were you, Miss. Granger?"

Draco turned to watch as the girl in question turned a shade of red that even the Wesley's hadn't accomplished yet.

"Nine, sir." she answered while her gaze landed on the floor.

"No need to be embarrassed, Miss. Granger. You've overcome it, which is a feat to be proud of." Dumbledore assured her.

Draco stared at her and turned pale. This was the family, Hermione Granger and her mother and father. The family from his letters.

"Mr. Malfoy? Do you have something you wish to tell us?" Draco tore his gaze away from her to look at Dumbledore.

"My father." he breathed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, for your loss." Dumbledore said, his eyes curious.

"No, my father, the man wrote me a letter talking about how he tortured a muggle family. He said my father was behind it." he said, his eyes looking to the floor.

He heard Hermione gasp beside him and sighed deeply. He had enjoyed today, he hadn't gone into a bookstore to just browse in ages. Hermione had the same taste in books as he did; he was surprised to find out. They argued but they came to mutual ground within an hour after the first words were said. He didn't know how they'd gotten along for the rest of the day, but the three broomsticks had been enjoyable too. She was a different person when she was in her own element. He'd seen the change in her when they stepped into the bookstore and soon let his interest take over his actions instead of hatred or spite.

"I'm sorry." he said softly to Hermione, not knowing what else to say.

She sniffed in response but that was the only noise in the room.

"I don't know who's writing the letters. I have ten of them in my room." he said into the silence.

He looked up to see Dumbledore looking at him with what looked like pride in his eyes. Draco hadn't seen the look that often and the look was gone in an instant. He looked back down at his shoes, not bothering to glance at Hermione; she'd be glaring at him anyway.

"Can you remember your father speaking of anyone with the initials T.F.?" Dumbledore asked in a grave tone.

"No. I only knew of him speaking to my aunts." Draco answered honestly.

"Oh yes, your aunts. I am under the impression that you are to stay with them during the holidays."

"I haven't sent them an owl yet, but I suppose that's correct." he answered after some thought. He'd be able to see Raliegh for the first time in what seemed like forever. He didn't even know what she looked like.

"Professor?" he heard from beside him.

"Yes, Miss. Granger." Dumbledore answered.

"What will I do for break? My parent's are in danger...what can we do?" she asked after a shaky breath.

"Excellent question, Miss. Granger." Dumbledore answered.

Draco stared at him and then rolled his eyes. The man and his damn riddle language. This was an important issue.

"I would like to speak to your parent's before making any decisions." Dumbledore finally answered. "It would be best for you to remain at Hogwarts for the holidays until something is done about the writer of these letters." he finished after a pause.

Draco finally glanced at Hermione to find her wiping her face with the arm of her...his sweater. Her eyes met his and she stilled. He gave her a weak smile and then turned to Dumbledore after seeing her eyes narrow. She didn't believe him. For some reason the thought that she didn't believe him about something of this nature hurt him. Today had been fun and he'd wanted to ask her to Hogsmeade again, but now it looked bleak. She should know better then that. He wouldn't have spent a whole bloody day with her if he was planning on killing her or her parents. He glared at the headmaster before getting up and leaving the office. He didn't deserve to be accused of something because his father had done something and he'd be damned if Hermione was going to make him feel bad for being related to the biggest arsehole in the entire wizarding community.

"Mr. Malfoy?" He heard the headmaster call from the office he had just left.

Draco straightened his shoulders and stepped onto the stairs and walked down them. He walked to the Head dorm and thankfully didn't encounter anyone. After making it to the dorm he stepped into the common room and went straight to his room. He lay down and stared at the ceiling. He didn't want to lose what was started in Hogsmeade with her, but with the way she looked at him… it looked like what had been started was already in flames. With a large drawn out sigh he got off of his bed and started to write. He didn't know anything about the man writing the letters but he had an idea of how to find out.

* * *

Hermione walked into the common room after her meeting with Dumbledore with a new view of the world around her. She wanted to go home and stay close to her parents, but that wasn't an option anymore. She looked at Draco's closed door and grimaced when she remembered the look on his face when she'd looked at him. She'd been upset but that didn't seem to matter to him. She remembered back to earlier that day and the trip to Hogsmeade. It was nice to have him around; he didn't even seem concerned about anything around them, only the books. She believed him about not knowing but she didn't know how to tell him now. He'd stormed out of the office and didn't even look back when she and Dumbledore called after him. She had to talk to someone about what to do. It wouldn't be fair to her or Draco if she didn't at least try to reach out and say she was sorry. 


	22. Welcome to the fallout

I would like to thank lyrabelaqua for bettaing my story.

Thank's to any and everyone that's read or reviewed. ya'll rock.

Have fun

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_Every time that I look in the mirror  
All these lines on my face gettin' clearer  
The past is gone  
It went by like dust to dawn  
Isn't that the way  
Everybody's got their dues in life to pay  
I know what nobody knows  
Where it comes and where it goes  
I know it's everybody's sin  
You got to lose to know how to win  
Half my life is in books' written pages  
Live and learn from fools and from sages  
You know it's true  
All the things come back to you_

_ Aerosmith- Dream on_

Asil, Draco's prized eagle owl, flew threw an open window at a house in small town, hundreds of miles away from Hogwarts grounds. A husband sat reading the Daily Prophet while his wife sat to his left, reading a book on deadly curses.

"Bella, your nephew has sent a letter." Rodolphus announced lazily from his chair by the fire.

"Draco? He should be busy with school work." the dark haired, heavy lidded women said with slight shock in her voice. Her nephew never wrote to her.

"Get the damn bird, Bella. She's beginning to peck the furniture." her husband said before returning his attention to his paper.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood and made her way to the owl. She untied the letter from its leg, gave it a treat from a desk drawer and went to sit down.

"What does he want?" Rodolphus asked.

"I haven't even opened the letter yet." she answered with an eye roll.

She ignored her husband and opened the letter.

'Dear Aunt Bellatrix,

I have received letters from someone claiming to know my father, is there any truth to this persons accusation? I have been appointed Head boy this year and anything that could come of this wouldn't look good to the Malfoy or Black name. I would like to contact this person but I don't know how to reach him as all the owls that have delivered the letters have left before I can even tell you their color. Will you be able to assist me in this? If so please write back.

Draco Malfoy'

"That man that Lucius always wrote to, what was his name, Rodolphus?"

"Mundungus's son, wasn't it? Tavorian?"

"Yes, that was it. Tavorian Fletcher." she said while she made her way to her writing desk to answer her only nephew.

Draco sat in his room, staring at a frazzled looking Hermione Granger. She had burst into his room crying and apologizing an hour ago and hadn't stopped either since.

"You have to understand! I was over it, my parents were over it, everyone was over it. Then you come along and I get a letter from the person that made my life hell. You don't even care."

"That's a load of shit and you know it, Granger. If you were truly over it the letter wouldn't have bothered you. It's not my fault that you got that damn letter. You would have gotten one anyways. I didn't hire the man to off you so I don't know where you get your damn ideas."

"I get my ideas from events. You get letters but you don't tell anyone about them and then, when we are seen together, the man suddenly decides to write to me. The man could be you for all I know." she yelled at him as the tears poured down her face.

"My father hired the man! My fathers behind this whole thing. When he died or got the kiss or whatever the hell's happened to him, I inherited all his fucked up plans! Whoever the hell sent you the damn letter did so for their own sick and twisted pleasure. I thought we had some sort of relationship after Hogsmeade! It seems that I have to have the thought capacity of a rodent or a stupid scar on my forehead in order to have anything to do with you." Draco answered with narrowed eyes. He would be fine with her sudden change if it actually held water.

He looked over to his window to see Asil sitting on the sill.

"Where do you think you're going?" she squawked at him when he stood up to go to the window.

He didn't answer, just opened the window and let Asil land on his arm before removing the letter.

"Thank you Asil, have a treat."

He watched as his owl ate in her corner before he looked down at the letter he held in his hands.

"Is that another letter from the man you don't know?" she asked suspiciously.

"Why are you so damn suspicious of me all of a sudden?" he answered sarcastically.

He opened the letter and began to read.

'Draco dear,

I can't say how happy I was to receive your letter. I am sure you're very excited about the upcoming meeting with Master. He's so excited about gaining you as a member. Your father has taken care of all matters so it seems you just have to show up.'

Draco rolled his eyes and skipped a couple of paragraphs. Now he knew why his mother rarely wrote to this particular aunt. She wrote to Aunt Andromeda three times a week, to check up on Raliegh and to have some one to talk to after having to deal with his father. He finally found what he was looking for in the letter.

'...a boy by the name of Tavorian Fletcher. He's Mundungus's son, you remember him from your childhood don't you? Well, your uncle and I must be off, Draco. We have a very important meeting to attend. I look forward to hearing from you again, nephew.

Bellatrix Lestrange'

Draco stared at the letter in his hands. He finally had a face and name to put with the person writing these letters. He remembered Tavorian very well. Tavorian was a tall, beefy guy around 15 years older than him.

"What does the letter say?" he heard Hermione ask quietly.

"None of your damn business."

"No need to be rude." she huffed at him.

"You accuse me of hiring someone to kill you, and then you say it's my fault the man came out of the damn woodwork. Who's being rude here, Granger?" he asked coldly.

"I...you. You have to admit it's suspicious." she said, trying to convince him.

"You just don't get it, do you? I was trying to be nice to you, trying to prove to everyone that I'm not my father! If it were up to you I'd be in Azkaban for something you claim I did. You have no proof that anything that has happened to you is my fault, mainly because there is none, and yet you still accuse me of everything. Get off your pedestal, Granger, my life doesn't revolve around you."

He glared at her as she opened and closed her mouth. She turned pink and stood up to leave.

"I came in here to say I was sorry, Draco." she said softly from the door of their bathroom.

"That's funny, because all I heard was you accusing me of something." he said sad smile on his face.

"You don't understand." she insisted.

"Then explain to me, make me understand why it's my entire fault."

She had turned away from him to leave but now she faced him. Her eyes were red but the tears had stopped falling.

"You wouldn't understand, even then." she sighed pitifully.

"You don't want me to understand, you mean? I think you just want to have this poor girl image."

"You're the only student that knows in this school. How do I want the poor girl image?" she demanded.

"If you didn't want the image you'd tell me so I'd stop asking. You want me to ask you what happened. You want to see the pity in my eyes when I look at you. I know your type; Pansy would fit in with you nicely."

"Don't you dare compare me to that skank!" Hermione growled. "I am nothing like her. I don't want pity but I don't want to talk about it, why can't you just get that?" she asked desperately.

"Because if you don't talk about it you'll go around thinking I'm an asshole for the rest of our lives when all I wanted to do was help! I don't want to drag you into the past, I'm not that callous, but I want you to be able to get a letter from this nut and not be affected by it."

"Why do you want to help me?" she asked suspiciously.

"I don't know! It's fun to have an actual conversation once and awhile, even if we're yelling."

"Are you telling me you fancy me?" she asked with a smile.

"God no. I just like being able to walk into a room and know that if I want to just talk to someone about a class, I can just come to the common room." he answered with a shudder.

"It's not a totally disgusting concept, Draco." she huffed at his shudder. "You act like I'm made out of toxic waste."

"Out of what?" he asked.

"Toxic potion, then." she amended. "Honestly, all the muggle sayings I spit out and toxic waste is the one you have a problem with." she muttered to herself.

"I heard that. If you pay attention to yourself you'd realize that you don't even stop to draw a breath when you say some insane 'saying', as you call them, and then, because I've learned to tune you out, by the end of your speech I've forgotten what I was confused about." he explained to her calmly.

"Is that why you listened to my S.P.E.W. speech?" she asked curiously.

"What? Oh, that stupid club you tried to get everyone to join when however long ago." he said with a wave of his hand. "You know, just because you believe in something doesn't mean everyone else has to, too."

"I don't know what you're talking about. And S.P.E.W. isn't a stupid club, Draco. It's very important to the elves."

"Hermione, have you seen the look on the house-elves faces when they see you coming? They like what they do: it's what they've been born and raised to do. You're making their lives worse because you think it's best for them."

"That's not true! They want to be free, there are plenty of free house-elves that are perfectly content with their lives." she defended.

"They were doing fine for thousands of years. They don't know anything different than to serve others. Why are you making such a big deal out of this when they try to avoid the idea altogether?" he asked while sitting down across from her.

"They don't know what's good for them. They don't know what freedom is so they don't know how good it is!" she explained with a passion.

"So you know what's better for them?" he asked with a raised eye-brow.

"Yes, I do." she answered with a self satisfied smile.

"How do you know what's best for them? You don't have one so you don't know their full abilities, you've been in the wizarding world not even seven years so you don't know a lot about them and you've only seen them in Hogwarts, where their treated with respect. The only elves you want to save are the ones that are in pure blood wizarding families, the ones you know are virtually impossible to save. It's great to have something to stand for, Hermione, but you don't have to try and convince everyone else. I didn't go around the tables of the great hall trying to recruit people for my father, did I? I didn't demand that Crabbe and Goyle go into a book store with me at every Hogsmeade trip, even though I wanted to. You have to understand that you can't win over everyone. No matter how hard you try, you'll never please everyone. You can't make every mission yours to win." he added with a small sigh.

He waited for her to blow up but it never happened. He looked at her expectantly and was surprised to hear her sigh in defeat.

"What, that's it? I win?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, I suppose." she answered with a smile.

Draco looked around the room with suspicion but smiled when nothing jumped out at him.

"So I win this one?" he asked again, just to cover all areas.

"Yes, I _suppose_." she repeated with a roll of her eyes.

He was about to open his mouth when a banging noise sounded from the common room door.

"I'll get it." she volunteered, already halfway to his open dorm door.

He watched as she walked out and sighed. He had no idea what just went on. He was getting soft.

"...Hermione! I can't believe you just ditched us to spend time with ferret face! We haven't even seen you in ages and then when I ask you to Hogsmeade you ignore us and hang out with the death-eater-in-training, Malfoy!" The voice of Weasel drifted into his room.

"Ron, you know it's not like that! I wanted to spend the day with you but when he showed up you left in a huff. How was I supposed to spend the day with you if I couldn't even talk to you?"

"You chose him over me! Why would I want to talk to you?" The Weasel yelled.

"You've chosen everything over me, Ron!" He heard Hermione scream.

"I've never picked..."

"Yule ball! You realized I was a girl and got mad at me for you picking someone else and someone else asking me! Nimbus 2000. You picked that damn broom over me! You didn't talk to me because I told Professor McGonagall about it. That damned rat! You chose to get mad at me because of a rodent! You didn't talk to me for days and it turned out the damned thing was alive and a bloody traitor. Last year you chose to ask Lavender to Hogsmeade when we were celebrating my birthday! MY BLOODY BIRTHDAY, RON, AND YOU CHOSE A DIFFERENT GIRL TO SPEND TIME WITH!"

"Hermione, calm down." Draco said as he came into the room to stand beside her. "I'm sure Weasel has a wonderful explanation for everything you just accused him of."

The blond boy smirked as he watched the red head fidget and turn red.

"Hermione, you don't understand! He's MALFOY!" the imbecile tried to fight.

"Just leave, Ronald! I can't stand this anymore. When you've had time to think about how wrong you are, come back."

"Are you telling me to leave?"

"Yes, Ron, I don't have to time or patience to be worried about how you're going to react to everything I do. Please, just leave." she said wearily.

Draco watched wide-eyed as the Weasel-boy closed his mouth, turned red and turned to stomp out of their common room.

"Draco?" she asked faintly.

"Yes?" he answered with an eye on the common room to make sure the Gryffindor didn't come back.

"What did I just do?" she asked before dropping to the floor in a faint.

"You, my dear, just broke up the trio." he whispered as he bent to pick her up and carry her to her rooms.


	23. What you don't know, leave alone

No, you're not seeing things, I've actually updated, this time the chaps beta'd

I still don't own anything.

Thank you to lyrabelaqua for being my beta.

I've been busy writting another story, the sequel to Just for over the Holidays called Love for Life, and got side tracked. I hope ya'll like the chapter.

Thanks to any and everyone who's updated. I wouldn't be writting this story as long as I have unless I knew some one was there reading. You guys rock harder then class of 2005. (If you've seen my profile you'll understand.)

Alright, have at it what you will.

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* * *

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_Here. A little sympathy for you to waste on me  
I know you're faking it but that's okay  
And I don't want to drag it out  
Don't want to bring you down  
I never wanted it to end this way_

_Even if I wanted to  
I don't think that I'd get to you  
There's nothing I can say to you to make you feel alive again_

_Here. A little jealousy  
I hope you think of me  
Hope you wonder where I sleep at night  
Cause I feel like I'm inside out  
You got me upside down  
Maybe I was holding on too tight_

_So don't just say goodbye to me  
Just turn your back away and leave  
And if you're lucky I will be your last regret, your only friend_

_I guess that this is over now  
I guess it's called the falling out_

_Yellowcard- Inside Out_

Ron stormed back to the Gryffindor common room and threw himself into the nearest chair.

"I can't believe the nerve of that girl! I was trying to help her! Why can't she understand that?" he mumbled to himself, unaware of the glances he received in the process.

"Ron, what's wrong?" he heard, the voice coming from beside him.

"Hermione. She just kicked me out of her common room to spend time with Malfoy. MALFOY! She started yelling about how I chose everything over her. Can you believe that?" he asked as he looked up to find Harry looking back at him.

"She said what?" Harry asked, looking as confused as Ron felt.

"She said I never picked her over anything! I never picked anything over her, Harry." he whined to his friend, who was rolling his eyes.

"Well, Ron, think about it... Last year you took Lavender to Hogesmeade when we went to celebrate Hermione's birthday, after we already told her that it was just going to be us."

"I did not! I told her we were going to go to Hogesmeade to celebrate Hermione's birthday and that she should come. I didn't ask her out, I just told her she could come." Ron protested.

"Ron, you made out with her the whole time you were around us. You didn't even stay with Hermione and me, you took Lavender to the café and we didn't see you until it was time to go back." Harry tried to explain to him.

"We did not make out the whole time, and I spent time with you!" Ron defended himself.

"I'm not here to fight with you, Ron, I'm just saying that I see Hermione's side of the argument too."

Ron stared into the fireplace and watched as the flames of the fire flicked high then low on the stone walls surrounding it.

"Harry, I've liked Hermione for three years and then Malfoy comes along and ruins it. He's up to something. He has to be. He hasn't called her Mudblood in long time. I think he's trying to win her over so she could spy on you." Ron voiced his opinion after, in Harry's opinion, a short silence.

"Ron! This is Hermione we're talking about. She's a big girl now and can take care of herself."

Once again Ron sat in silence and stared into the fire. Now Harry was siding with... those two. What was this school coming to?

"She's obviously not old enough to take care of herself if she's out with ferret face."

"Ron, maybe he's changed. You don't know."

"She blew us off to spend time with him. If really changed he would have insisted that she spend time with us. Malfoy knew, he_ knew,_ that I asked her to go and he goes and asks her to go with him...and she said yes! She's just as bad as he is!" Ron complained.

"Ron, you know it was for head duties." Harry sighed.

"Then how do you explain them holding hands and going into the Three Broomsticks- they were sitting too close to be talking about Head stuff."

"Well... did you ask her?" Harry asked while looking up at the ceiling.

"No... but do you honestly think she's going to tell us the truth?" Ron shot back, unwilling to hear any other side but his own.

"Ron, listen to yourself. Do you think that if Hermione was turning her back on us that you going and yelling at her would do any good?"

"She knows how I am! She's used to how I act." Ron instantly reacted: "She shouldn't have even taken the Head girl position when she found out that the Death-Eater-in-training was Head boy."

"Ron!"

"No, think about it, Harry. She says she hates the git, but then she's all friendly with him when school starts up."

Harry stopped listening to Ron after that. He knew that Ron was mad; he understood that, he was too, but Ron was taking it to a whole new level.

"Ron, I think you need to chill out for a little bit." Harry advised.

"Harry, have you heard a word I've said?" Ron demanded.

"Ron, Hermione should be able to make her own decisions."

Ron stared in disbelief at his friend. Here he was worried sick about Hermione and Harry had gone off his rocker. Of course she should make her own decisions, but if they weren't good for her she should be warned. Malfoy _was_ up to something, he was sure of it. He just didn't know what. Maybe Ginny could find out.

* * *

"Where's Gin, Harry?" He asked in a casual voice.

"She won't go along with you, Ron." Harry said in a flat voice.

Damn it all to hell. "I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to say innocently, although after all the years of his mother's fierce glares he was sure it wouldn't work.

"I've known you for almost seven years, mate. I know when you're planning something and, unfortunately, I've even be able to guess what you're planning." Harry stated wearily.

"You do not know me that well. And what do you mean about that unfortunately bit?"

"Nothing, Ron. I was just stating fact."

Ron stared hard at his best friend for a split second before hauling himself out of the chair and going to the portrait hole.

"Where are you going?" He heard Harry ask from his chair.

"You're the one that can read my bloody mind, you tell me." He answered sarcastically before pushing the door open and starting his search for the youngest Weasley offspring.

* * *

Ginny sat in the library researching the latest Astronomy lesson. Firenze was nice and all but he was a very weird sort: never bit the bullet, as she'd heard Hermione say countless times.

"Ginny?" She looked up to see her goofy brother Ron staring at all of the books that she had laid out on the table in front of her. "Bloody hell, Gin. You're turning into Hermione."

"Ron, don't be an idiot. I happen to have common sense; just because I want to succeed in life after school doesn't make me a bookworm." She defended herself instantly.

"What's been going on with Hermione lately?" He asked, skipping the chit chat as usual.

"Hermione... I don't know, I haven't talked to her in a couple weeks, since before school started maybe." she answered truthfully.

"You talk to her every day at breakfast and dinner." her somewhat slow brother pointed out.

"Well she won't tell me what's going on in her life over morning eggs, will she?" Ginny answered with an eye roll. "Honestly, Ron. You think that we have anp, or whatever Hermione talks about all the time when she talks about Dumbledore." She muttered.

"Ginny..." Ron whined to her.

"Go bother Harry, Ron. I'm busy." She said with a wave of her hand towards the door of the library.

"But Gin, she's spending time with Malfoy."

"He's Head boy, Ron. She has to spend time with him. She'll lose her position if she doesn't." she explained patiently.

"She chose him over me and Harry!"

"Well, it maybe wasn't the best choice for her to make, but you have to admit that you do that a lot to her as well."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? I haven't done anything to her! She kicked me out of her common room today. Did you know that?"

"She what?" That got Ginny's attention. Hermione might be stressed but she'd never do something like that.

"She kicked me out. Told me to come back when I thought about what she said. A load of rubbish." He explained with hope in his voice.

"What are you sounding all hopeful for? It doesn't sound like youll be getting an invitation to the Heads dorm soon." Ginny snapped at her brother, upset with both him and Hermione now.

"I wasn't sounding hopeful. I was just telling you." he sulked.

"Fine, you've told me. What do you want me to do about it?" she asked with a cringe.

"Just talk to her. Why are you looking at me like that for? I didn't ask you to kiss her or anything." Ron answered sounding offended.

"I'll see what I can do." she supplied when he stood there and stared at her.

"Make her see, Gin." she urged before he turned around and left the library.

"Great," Ginny muttered to herself when she was alone, "Now I have to face Malfoy."

* * *

Draco stood in the door of Hermione's room, watching her even breathing. She'd passed out almost an hour ago and she hadn't woken up once. He stepped in to go try to wake her when the door of the common room was pounded on. Sighing, he turned and opened the door to walk into the common room.

"What have you done to Hermione?" He heard screeched when he closed the door behind him.

"Bloody hell, how many are there?" He muttered to himself before meeting the eyes of the Weasley who stood in the middle of his common room.

"Well, get it out? What did you do to Hermione?" The loud and obnoxious red-head demanded when he didn't answer.

"That's none of your damn business." he snapped.

"It bloody well is my business. It's my best friend we're talking about."

"You haven't even seen her all year." Draco reminded the girl, who had started hyperventilating halfway through his explanation.

"That's not true!" The girl, Ginny he thought, defended.

"Seeing her for an hour total a day doesn't count as quality time." He said smugly.

"I..."

"I didn't do anything to your precious Hermione. Your brother upset her so much she passed out. You should be having this rant with him."

"Ron doesn't know any better. You know exactly what you're doing, Malfoy."

"I don't know what you think you know about me, but you're wrong." Draco explained with a bored tone.

"Just leave Hermione alone. She needs us. You don't understand. It's hard enough that she's a muggle but then you have to go and pretend to actually like her... you're disgusting."

"I don't know who said I liked her, so you might want to consider your sources. Didn't you hear me when I said your supposed best friend passed out?" He asked when the Weasel in front of him basically blew off the statement to defend her brother.

"Oh...where is she?"

"In her room, genius." He said as he pointed behind him with a thumb.

"What the hell were you doing in her room?" The annoying girl demanded.

Draco thought about it and didn't think that exposing that he'd set Hermione in there gently should be on his list of things to blurt out to people.

"If Dumbledore walked in here and saw her lying on the floor, I would have gotten in trouble, not that it's any of your business." He explained with a sneer.

"Don't touch her again, Malfoy."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He answered with narrowed eyes. "How did you get in here?" He asked after silence dominated most of the conversation, if that's what you could call it.

"The door was open a little bit." She said quickly... too quickly for Draco's liking.

"Then why were you pounding on it? It would have closed. I thought that your brother, Weasel, got all of the stupidity, obviously I was wrong." Draco countered smoothly, finding joy in the fact that he'd caught the girl in a lie.

"I don't have to tell you anything." She said defiantly, sticking her chin out. As if, Draco thought, that would make her look any more threatening.

"Fine, I'll just go to Dumbledore and tell him you broke into the Heads dorm. Let's go together, shall we? It'll save him time in rounding you up."

The girl lost all color in her face. She opened her mouth stupidly looking, if possible, more like her brother with each growing second.

"Go away, Weasley. I have better things to do then watch your intake of air." He commanded, waving his hand towards the door of the common room.

"Not until I see Hermione."

"Fine, go see your best friend." He said with a roll of his eyes.

He sat on the couch and watched as she tried to open the door. She glanced over to him and then yanked on the door.

"Why won't this bloody door open, Ferret?" She asked as she whipped around to glare at him.

"Password protected." He said slowly, as if explaining to a five year old.

He watched in amusement as the girl started naming all of the names of Gryffindor, then their Head of House, then Dumbledore and on and on. He started laughing when she kicked the door. She looked ready to throw a curse at him until the door opened and Hermione stepped out.

"Draco?" She called before she looked around the room.

"Hermione? Why are you calling Malfoy Draco?"

Hermione looked to her right to the red-head and her eyes widened.

"We're Heads. It wouldn't be mature of me to talk to him like I was a first year." she covered smoothly. Just because they were almost friends didn't mean she could advertise to people.

"But...Ron said you kicked him out."

"I don't need this right now, Gin. You know how he is. I tried to talk and he just kept cutting me off and then whenever I could get a word in edge wise he ignored it." the frazzled looking Head girl explained with a sigh.

"Ron might be a loud mouth, but he cares about you. Why would you do something like that Hermione?" the equally frazzled looking Gryffindor asked with a hurt expression on her face.

"I had to. I opened the door and he just started yelling at me. I couldn't do anything about it. He needs to think about things before I can talk to him again. Maybe I could talk to Harry and he could talk to Ron."

"I cant believe you Hermione! You turned your back on us as soon as you got your Head girl badge. You're just like Percy."

"Ginny!"

"No! I'm saying what everyone else is thinking. You're selfish, Hermione Granger. Whenever someone tries to help you, you make them feel bad! I'm sick of it. I'm with Ron, you did choose Malfoy over us."

With that said Ginny turned around and left the common room, leaving a stunned Hermione and Draco in her wake.

* * *

Ginny stormed through the Gryffindor common room with a look of murder on her face.

"Gin, what's up?" Harry asked, his eyes glancing around the common room for supporters in case she blew up at him.

"Hermione." She spit out with more venom then Harry thought she was possible of.

"Wha...you talked to Ron."

"Yes, I talked to Ron. I went over to her dorm to talk to her because I couldn't go on what Ron said."

Harry nodded his head in agreement with the bit of information. Ron was known to blow his temper and get facts slightly bent.

"And do you know what? He was right about her. She even told me she kicked him out, saying how he didn't listen to her at all. How dare she choose that ferret over us."

Harry watched with wide eyes as Ginny paced back and forth in front of the fire, the whole time berating Hermione.

"Ginny, are you sure?" He asked when she stopped to take a breath.

"Of course I'm sure. As far as I'm concerned, Hermione is just as bad as Malfoy. Do you know she's even calling him Draco now. And when I went in he was coming out of her room. He said Ron made Hermione pass out, a load of rubbish. Like any one would believe that. Ron wouldn't stress out Hermione that much. Shes known him for seven years, we'd have seen her pass out by now." Ginny explained.

"Fine, I'll go talk to her." Harry said with a sigh as he pushed himself up and out of the chair.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Ginny offered with sarcasm heavy in her voice.

"Thanks."


	24. The voice of reason

Thanks to lyrabelaqua for being my beta.

I don't own anything having to do with Harry Potter unless you count the hardcover books and a couple DVD's.

Alright, I'm not very happy with this chapter but I think it has to be done. Drop me a line to tell me what you think.

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* * *

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_Am I loud and clear or am I breaking up?  
Am I still your charm or am I just bad luck?  
Are we getting closer or are we just getting more lost?  
I'll show you mine if you show me yours first  
Let's compare scars I'll tell you whose is worse  
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words_

_We live on front porches and swing life away  
We get by just fine here on minimum wage  
If love is a labor I'll slave 'til the end  
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand  
__  
I've been here so long I think that its time to move  
The winter's so cold summer's over too soon  
So let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow  
__  
I've got some friends some that I hardly know  
We've had some times I wouldn't trade for the world  
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go_

_Rise Against- Swing Life Away_

Harry Potter made his way to the Heads' dorm. He'd have to watch Malfoy to see if what Ron said had any truth.

"Like Malfoy would ever have any interest in Hermione," he muttered to himself as he walked.

He came to the portrait of the lion and snake and said the password.

"Doxy bones." He said and stood back so the portrait could open, which didn't happen. Harry looked around the hallway before saying the password again. "Doxy bones." He said, pausing between the words to be clearer.

Still the portrait stayed still.

"Of all the… DOXY BONES!" Harry yelled before pounding on the door. He stopped with the portrait swung open, hitting him in the face as it happened.

"Oh, it's you." He heard from the doorway once he righted himself and stepped to the side to see the hole the portrait protected.

"Malfoy." Harry said sharply, with a nod.

"H… Granger, precious Potty's here to see you." the blond haired boy across from him said over his shoulder. Had he been about to say Hermione?

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry asked as he pushed his way passed Malfoy to get to his friend, who was sitting on the couch closest to the fireplace.

"I'm fine, Harry." She answered with a small smile. "I'm surprised you're speaking to me. Ginny ran out of here mad at me and Ron left in a huff." She said with a small amount of surprise in her voice as she moved over and patted the couch next to him.

Harry was silent and just looked back at her. She looked like the same Hermione. Dark circles were starting to form under her eyes from all of the late night studying she did and she had a smile on her face that was always uncertain, like she didn't know if she should be there or in her room studying for a test three months away.

"Did you kick Ron out of your common room, Hermione?" he asked after she started to fidget and finger the hem of her jeans.

"Yes, but you have to understand, Harry. I opened the door and he just started yelling at me. I couldn't say anything." Hermione rushed to explain.

"But why would he do that?" Harry asked.

"It was all about Hogesmeade. He said I'd abandoned him and that I wasn't being fair with him. I couldn't get a word in to explain myself."

"You didn't have to kick him out, though, Hermione." he pointed out.

"But he wouldn't let me talk! It was the only way I could get him to listen to me. Tell him, Draco." she said before looking past Harry to the Slytherin prince that sat on a chair in the middle of the room.

"I believe you, Hermione." Harry said quickly, cutting off anything the ferret had to say. "But Ginny doesn't. She said that Malfoy said that Ron made you pass out. Is that true?" he asked while trying to make eye contact.

"I don't want to talk about it, Harry." she said softly.

Harry nodded his head and was going to ask her about the password, to change the subject, when he heard a 'tsk' from Malfoy. He turned to see the blond rolling his eyes before standing to walk to the far side of the common room.

"What was that for?" Harry asked, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing, Potty. Just knew that was coming." Malfoy answered with a smirk.

"Shut up, Draco." Hermione said from Harry's side.

"Come off it, Hermione. Just tell him." Malfoy shot back.

"It's not his business." Hermione said through clenched teeth.

"He's just going to keep asking you about it. God knows how annoying he can be when he gets a thought into his head." Malfoy muttered the last part but Harry still heard.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here." He said before looking back at Hermione. "Tell me what, 'Mione?" he asked as he tucked her hands in his own.

"It's nothing, Harry." she answered quickly, sending a glare towards Malfoy.

"Hermione?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"Told you." he heard Malfoy say from the other side of the room.

"Shut up, Draco!" Hermione snapped.

"Hermione, what is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it." she said, turning her head to look into the fire.

"So it's okay for Malfoy to know but when it comes to me, Harry, your best friend, you don't want to talk about it?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"Harry, it's not like that. He found out because…"

"I didn't do anything!" Malfoy defended himself.

"I didn't say you did! Just shut up and let me talk!"

Harry started, with wide eyes, between Hermione, the Gryffindor princess, and Malfoy, the Slytherin prince. She was mad at him but she was still talking to him. With him or Ron she'd have shut up and not spoken to either of them for a good solid month.

"Ron's right, isn't he, Hermione?" Harry asked weakly.

"About what?" she asked when she stopped bickering with Malfoy.

"You chose Malfoy over us. You like him or something." he asked, a head ache growing.

"Of course I don't like Draco." she said with confusion in her voice. "I have to talk to him." She explained in a tone only Hermione could pull off.

"If it would have been Ron or me arguing with you, you would have ignored us." Harry pointed out as the head ache turned into heart ache. He couldn't be losing Hermione to Ferret Face.

"Harry that's…." Hermione stopped, as if she saw it too. "I don't like him, Harry, but it's nice to have someone to talk to when I need it." she said softly.

"You can talk to us, Hermione."

"No, Harry I can't. The minute I start talking about school work, you and Ron groan and start talking about quidditch or something." She sounded almost pained when she said that. Harry thought back to all the conversations they had and saw that, excluding when they ask her to do their work, they, he and Ron, never talked to her about school work.

"Hermione, I'm sorry about that but Ron and I don't get that into school work." Harry apologized.

"I'm sorry, but I don't get that into quidditch." she said in answer.

Harry sat back and stared at the girl in front of him. She looked sad.

"I guess I never thought of that. I mean, I knew but I never really thought us talking about it bothered you."

"As much as I love the tear filled reunions," Malfoy sneered from across the room. "Tell him, Hermione."

"Why won't you let this go?" Hermione asked with a sigh.

"Because you won't talk about it." Malfoy answered smugly.

"Shove off, Malfoy. She doesn't want to talk about it." Harry said as he put an arm around Hermione, trying to protect her from the snake in the room.

"Fine. When she goes off the deep end, don't say I didn't warn you."

Harry watched as Malfoy walked to a door, said a password and disappeared.

"What is he talking about, Hermione? You know you can tell me anything." Harry said once the door didn't open again and he was sure he and Hermione were alone.

"Harry, why can't you leave it alone?" she asked, pulling away from him.

"I think Malfoy's right… even if he is a git. I don't know what it is but I think you should talk about it. If not to me then to him," Harry said tightly with a nod of his head to the Head boy's portrait. "He seems to know more about it then we do."

He felt Hermione wince when he said the last part but couldn't bring himself to say it was okay. She was his best friend and his enemy knew more about her then he or Ron did. He felt betrayed but at the same time…she'd been right about how they treated her. Harry looked at Hermione and saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"Hermione..." he said softly, not wanting her to cry.

"I can't tell you, Harry. Not now." she said as the tears fell down her face.

Harry watched as she cried. He knew it was mostly his fault. He shouldn't have pushed her so much but knowing that Malfoy knew something he didn't just ate at him. He waited until her tears stopped and then moved to put his arm around her again. She didn't move away and he took that as a good sign. He felt her stop shaking with tears and slowly pulled away to talk to her.

"Are you alright now?" he asked with a smile.

"Yes, thank you." she said softly, not meeting him. "I'm sorry for unloading that all on you."

"Don't worry about me, I didn't find out anything." he said jokingly, hoping to get a smile. He'd never really seen Hermione cry like that before and it left him on edge. She remained quiet, thankfully.

"Well isn't this a picture perfect site." a voice said behind them, a voice that annoyed him beyond all reason.

"Shove it, Malfoy." Harry muttered, not turning to meet the blondes' eyes.

"Oh come on, Potty. You don't want a picture in the paper with the caption 'Harry Potter brings girls to tears everywhere.'?"

"Shut up, Draco. It's your fault in the first place." Hermione said from behind him.

"Come to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione." Harry said when Malfoy answered her order with a raised eye brow.

"I don't think I should, Harry. Ron and Ginny are still mad at me." She answered with a sigh.

"Don't worry about them, Hermione." Harry tried to convince her.

"I know how Ron is, Harry. I think its best I worry about him instead of ignoring him. I don't want anyone going to the hospital wing burping up slugs again." She said with a smile.

"Just say what you mean, Granger. You don't want him to get into trouble while you're Head girl." Malfoy drawled from across the room.

"Draco!" Hermione said in a warning tone. Harry's eyes widened at her at the tone she'd used. He and Ron had both been on the receiving end of that voice.

"Hermione!" Malfoy shot back in a mocking tone.

Harry watched as Hermione narrowed her eyes and looked away.

"Let's go to the library then." Harry said, recognizing the warning signs of a 'Hermione Meltdown'.

"I'm not up to it, Harry. It's almost time for dinner. I'll see you then." she said, not looking at him.

"Alright, Hermione. I'll save you a place." he promised before standing up and walking to the portrait hole.

Before the door even closed behind him he heard Hermione turn on Malfoy. Ron must not know what he was talking about. Hermione acted different around Malfoy but it was an act of tolerance, not fancy.


	25. AN

No this isn't a new chapter, sorry guys.

Thank you to EVERYONE AND ANYONE who left me a review or just read my story! I had a blast writing.

I don't know how long it's going to be before I get a new chapter up, I don't even know if I'm going to finish the story. I just started college this month and I'm getting pretty stressed over the work.

I have winter break in Nov. so that would be the earliest I would be able to update but I don't even know about that.

So for now, this is so long.

Orion Tarvers


	26. Fight in the Great Hall

Hello one and all. As you can see, I've updated. I'm sorry that it's been so long but this is my last week of classes untill january so I should be able to write a couple of chapters.

I haven't written in a while, unless you count my English class(I don't), so Ihope everyone likes this chapter.

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* * *

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_This ain't a movie  
No fairytale conclusions no  
It gets more confusing everyday  
Sometimes it's heaven sent  
Then we head back to hell again  
We kiss then we make up on the way  
I hang up you call  
We rise and we fall  
And we feel like just walking away  
As our love advances, we take second chances  
Though it's not fair to see I still want you to stay_

_John Legend- Ordinary People_

Hermione walked to the Great Hall in silence, ignoring the wizard beside her. She could feel him looking at her when they were walking down a long hallway but she didn't look at him – it was hard not to, but she didn't.

"Are you going to ignore me the whole time?" he asked, finally breaking the silence when they were a third of the way to the hall.

Hermione lifted her chin a tad higher and began walking faster, not even sparing a glance at Draco. She heard him let out a frustrated sigh and smiled inwardly, he'd made her mad and she was more than happy to return the favor.

"You're going to have to talk to me sometime, you know. We are Heads this year." He reminded her. She was still silent. "You're really that mad at me for telling Potter about your problem?"

"You didn't tell him anything! You made it so he'd start asking me questions, like you knew he would. I can't believe you, Draco! Why are you like this?" she exploded, turning quickly to face him, a glare already on her face.

Draco stopped and stared at the angry Gryffindor. Her hair was wild around her head and her eyes, what he could see through the narrowed slits, seemed to be glowing. He glanced around the hallway before taking a step back, his hands involuntarily going up.

"I…"

"Just shut up! I didn't tell him, or anyone for that matter, because I didn't want anyone to know. You just can't seem to get that through your pointy head!"

"He…."

"Shut up! I said I didn't want to talk about it and you pressed on and on until you got the story out of me and then when you found out you just wouldn't let up! You need to learn to say out of my business."

"Calm down." Draco said as soothingly as he could. He heard murmuring around them and looked around to see that the portraits were crowding with images from different parts of the castle.

"Don't tell me what to do." She ordered, oblivious to the paintings.

"Do you want everyone to know why you're mad at me?" Draco asked, walking towards her, grabbing her chin and turning her head to make her look at a painting, one that was holding eight different people, all who were trying desperately to look preoccupied when Hermione was forced to look.

"Oh… let go of my chin." She demanded, her head shaking wildly in attempts to shake his hand off.

"We can discus this after dinner." He assured her with a pointed look to the portraits.

"Who do you think you are? You can't tell me what to do."

"Hermione, just be quiet. Why do you have to fight everything I say?" he asked, rubbing his temples.

"I do not!" she denied automatically.

"You just did." He sighed, rolling his eyes when she opened her mouth to speak but snapped it shut and glared at him. "Let's go to dinner."

He started walking and stopped when she didn't follow. He turned, walked back and grabbed her arm, pulling her to the Great Hall.

"Honestly, you call yourself a gentleman." She huffed at him when he let her go.

"Honestly, my sister acts more mature than you." He said mockingly and, before she could answer, pushed the doors open before she could start to argue.

The Great Hall was almost empty; Hermione and Draco were usually the first in there, setting a good example to the younger years by always being on time. Draco smiled at Hermione, winked, and walked to the Slytherin table, sitting in the seat reserved for him. Hermione glared and stomped over to her assigned seat and waited for Harry. She didn't have to wait long.

"Hello, Hermione."

"Harry." She nodded, smiling as he took the seat beside her. She felt someone else sit beside her and looked up, thinking that Ron had forgiven her. "Hello, Neville." She greeted, her smile dimming slightly.

"Hello, Hermione. I was wondering if you would help me with Charms. Gram's going to be upset if I go home with bad marks again." He pleaded to her.

"I suppose, Neville. Meet me in the Library tomorrow at seven." She said with a shrug, happy to have an excuse to get out of the common room.

"Thanks, Hermione." He answered gratefully, his shoulders slumping with relief.

Hermione's smile brightened and she turned away to talk to Harry.

"Have you been able to talk to them?" She asked, not mentioning names due to prying eyes and ears.

"Yes, I have." He answered, glancing at the doors of the Great Hall.

"Well, what did they say?" she asked, looking at the door as well.

"Ginny's calmed down but Ron is still upset." He explained with a small smile.

"How calmed down is she?"

"Well, you haven't been threatened with a hex since I started talking to her." He assured her.

"She was threatening me?" Hermione asked, surprised.

"You know how she can get sometimes. She was even trying to help me calm Ron down." Harry added, although he didn't mention that Ginny pointed out that Hermione was probably under a spell. He didn't think that would go over well for some reason.

Hermione was silent and started filling her plate with food, although her appetite was lost at the news of Ron's stubbornness. She had just picked up her fork when she felt someone watching her.

"What do you suppose Malfoy is up to?" She heard Neville ask Seamus, who was sitting across from him.

"Probably trying to figure out a way to get Hermione out of the Head Girls position." Seamus answered with a shrug.

Putting her fork down, she looked across the hall and saw that Draco was in fact looking at her. She raised an eyebrow in silent question. He returned the gesture before winking and starting to eat. Hermione glared at the top of his bent head as she picked up her fork again and stabbed a baby carrot with more force than necessary, wincing when the prongs scraped against the surface of the plate.

"Alright, Hermione?" Harry asked, nudging her slightly with an elbow.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" she asked before bringing the fork up to her mouth and biting the carrot in half. She was so focused on ignoring Draco she did not notice that Harry look from the Slytherin to her, then back again.

"Hello, Hermione."

"Ginny."

"I'm sorry for all the bad things I called you." The young redhead said, sitting down across from Hermione.

"It's all right."

Hermione smiled at her and went back to eating, noticing that Ron was absent from the table. She sighed inwardly and wondered if he'd be missing many meals because of her. She was mad at him, yes, but that didn't mean she wanted him to starve. Soon dinner was over and the hall was emptying slowly, some lingering for the last of the dessert.

"Get out of the way; it's Head business." She heard as she stood up to leave.

"Shove off, Malfoy. You've caused enough damage already." Hermione snapped her head around and saw Harry standing in front of Malfoy.

"What do you want?" she asked with a heavy sigh.

"Dumbledore wants to see us in his office," he answered with a shove at Harry. "Get out of the way, it's not like you're her father."

"Well you're not interested in her so why does it matter if I'm in the way or not?" Harry asked, his head tilting back. Hermione closed her eyes and rubbed a temple, wishing this was all a sick joke.

"Who says I'm not interested?" Draco asked, stunning everyone in hearing distance of the three.

"Let him go, Harry." Harry looked at Hermione but didn't move. "Harry, let him go. We have a meeting."

"Hermione…"

"No, Harry, let him go."

Harry glared at Draco but backed away from him. Hermione walked past both of them and went directly to the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office.

"Sugar-snap pea green taffy," She said confidently.

The gargoyle sprang aside and Hermione went up the staircase and waited for Draco to arrive.

"Come in, Miss Granger." She heard from the other side of the door. "Mr. Malfoy is running a bit late, I've been informed, so we'll have to start without him." The Headmaster explained as the door opened.

"What did you want to see me about, Sir?" Hermione asked as she took a seat in front of his desk.

"I was wondering how the ball is coming."

"Oh, we've gotten all the plans done, sir. We were going to ask you if there could be an extra Hogsmeade weekend. The students are going to need to get robes and masks for the ball and it would be easier to buy them then to make them." Hermione explained, glancing at the door every so often to see if Draco would make an appearance.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy will be here soon. Please continue." Hermione's head snapped around to the Headmaster and smiled embarrassedly.

She explained the rest of the details and listened to the Headmaster as he revised their decisions. She was beginning to get nervous when she left his office and Draco had not shown up.

"_That's her?"_ Hermione heard from her right.

"I know; I didn't believe it either."

Hermione stopped walking and looked around to find that, once again, the portraits were all filled with different figures.

"I'm sorry, but what are you talking about?" Hermione asked after several other portraits stated phrases much like the first two.

"Are you Hermione Granger?" a woman, who it seemed was the self appointed leader of the group, asked boldly, her chin tilted.

"Yes I am." Hermione said cautiously, her eyes moving from one portrait to the next. "Why?"

"Is it true you had Harry Potter fighting over you?" another woman asked, impatient to get the facts.

"Fighting….no, Harry is a frie…." Hermione groaned and turned to run to the Great Hall.

"I don't know why you turned around for. Their in the hospital wing, the both of 'em."

Hermione turned around and ran to the hospital wing in time to see Ron walking out, a strange look on his face.

"Ron, what's happened?" Hermione asked, still half way down the hall.

Ron looked over to her then turned and walked away, not uttering a single word. Hermione stopped running and stared after him, surprised at his actions. When they fought they usually made up by unspoken terms if something happened to anyone. She started to go after him but went to the hospital wing instead, hoping that Harry could explain.

"Harry, what's wrong with Ron?" Hermione asked when she was at the side of his bed.

"Malfoy."

"What did Draco do?" Hermione asked, seeing no obvious sign of injury on Harry's body.

Harry remained silent and she felt a bit unnerved.

"Miss Granger, I've already told Mr. Weasley that Mr. Potter won't be able to leave the hospital wing until tonight.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave him alone. I do have head business to discuss with Draco, though. Would that be okay?" Hermione asked, already walking towards the only other occupied bed in the wing.

"I suppose."

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat on the foot of Draco's bed. He looked worse off than Harry.

"What did you do?" She asked when he opened his eyes.

"Why do you assume I did something?" he asked as he tried and failed to smirk.

"Well you usually are the instigator." Hermione pointed out as she smoothed her hand over the stiff bed sheets.

"Well this time I wasn't." he answered with narrowed eyes.

"Sorry." She apologized instantly. "I talked to Dumbledore today. He said that there can be a trip to Hogsmeade this weekend for costumes and other things like that."

"That's nice."

"What happened?" she asked for the third time.

"Potter said some things he shouldn't have."

"Well he's not the one with a split lip." She pointed out with a small smile.

"It's not funny, Hermione." The blond wizard snapped when he saw her smile.

"I'm not laughing, Draco." She sighed, the smile leaving her face. "I didn't know I couldn't smile when you're in a bad mood." She muttered.

"What?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"If you had to ask me what I said there is a good chance you heard perfectly well the first time I said it." Hermione answered sharply.

Draco stared at Hermione but remained silent.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, getting annoyed at not yet having an answer.

"I already told you." He answered, his lip pouting.

"Stop trying to play the part of the innocent child in this."

"I'm not."

"Fine, if you don't want to tell me, don't tell me. I'm going back to the common room. You're very lucky I can't change the stupid password on my own."

Hermione stood up and walked out of the wing, not bothering to say goodbye to Harry; she was going to give him a few hours to cool off.


	27. Another AN

Hello one and all.

I'm just letting ya'll know that I'm working on a chapter right now…well not right now, right now, but it's in another window and I can read the title right now. Now that I'm off subject totally I'll try to find the path I was on. Oh alright, I remember now. I'm writing a chapter and it will be one of the last once that take this long to write and/or post (I hope, as long as I don't get writers block, which I have for my English paper but not the new chap…..one of those x-file cases, ya know?). I'm getting my own computer, a laptop from Dell because Dell rocks and takes pity on poor college students, and with said computer I'll be able to write new chap's while I'm at school, which is taking up an insane chunk of time in my life.

Alright, was that enough rambling for ya? I'm going to go finish the chapter then it's off to my beta then it's onto FF.

Later Tater

Orion


	28. The Secret is told well kind of

**Don't have a heart attack, peep's, but yes. I have updated. I know, crazy huh? Welps I'm happy with this chapter and I think it's one of the longer ones I've written so I hope that you guys are happy with it too.**

**Thanks to lyrabelaqua for being my beta, you rock.**

**I hope everyone has their hair still, I've heard pulling it out is kinda painful so I would STRONGLY advise agaisnt it! **

**Alright, I hope everyone is good and golden. Leave me some reviews to let me know how ya like it!**

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_You. You were a friend. You were a friend of mine I let you spend the night  
You see how it was my fault. Of course it was mine.  
I'm too hard at work. Have you ever heard of anything so absurd ever in your life.  
I'm sorry for wasting your time._

_Who am I to say this situation isn't great? It's my job to make the most of it  
Of course I didn't know that it would happen to me. Not that easy._

_Hey what's that you say? You're not blaming me for anything that's great  
But I don't break that easy. Does it fade away?  
So that's why I'm apologizing now for telling you I thought that we could make it  
I just don't get enough to believe that we've both changed._

_Well neither one of us deserves the blame because opportunities moved us away  
And it's not an easy thing to learn to play a game that's made for two that's you and me  
The rules remain a mystery. See it can be easy._

_Who am I to say this situation isn't great? It's our time to make the most of it  
How could we ever know that this would happen to me, not that easy, no  
All along the fault is up for grabs and there you have it  
Well it's for sale go make your offer, I'll sell it for no less than what I bought it for  
Pay no more than absolutely zero.  
__Jason Mraz- Absolutely Zero_

"Here," Hermione heard before a large book was dropped into her lap. It had been a week since Draco and Harry had gotten into 'The Fight' in the Great Hall. All the bruises had faded from both of them and Harry was still talking to her, which was a miracle in itself.

"What's this?" she asked as she held it up and inspected it: "'What are you: the complete beginners guide to becoming an animagus'." It looked familiar but she couldn't place it.

"It's the book you bought in Hogsmeade a while back."

Hermione stared up at him and the title registered. She'd bought the book to research the subject before she asked Professor McGonagall some questions about the process of becoming one.

"You've had this book this whole time?" she demanded, clutching the book to her chest and standing up quickly, "Do you know how long I've been looking for it?"

"I'm guessing since the day I took it," he shot back with a smirk.

Hermione tried counting to ten and it almost worked.

"How long have you had the book?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Since the day after Hogsmeade." he answered with a shrug. "I thought you knew I took it. I asked you if I could borrow it."

"I don't remember that." she said instantly as she thought back to ever conversation that she'd had with him since Hogsmeade.

"Well, I did. Sorry that you don't remember."

Hermione sighed and sat back down with the book. She opened the book and flipped through the pages to make sure they weren't damaged and then, happy with the assessment, set it down on the coffee table.

"How are you?" she asked as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"I'm fine… " he answered warily, looking at her sideways at her suspiciously.

"I'm over the book." she huffed.

"I'm fine. Snape let me make up the work that I missed."

"And didn't give Harry the same option." she pointed out.

"I've been doing well in all my other classes as well." he finished, ignoring her comment. "How have you been?"

"I've been doing rounds by myself for the past week. Do you know that Hufflepuff has had more point's taken off then any other house? It's like they don't know when curfew is."

"I'm sure they know... " He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

Draco shot an annoyed look to the door and then turned to Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't invite anyone."

"I'm injured, are you going to get it?" he asked in a pitiful voice. He got a laugh for his troubles before he hauled himself out of the chair and made his way to the door.

"I want to speak to Hermione." Hermione shot her gaze to the door and stared.

"Ron?" she asked quietly, unsure of what to say. It had been weeks since they last spoke.

He stared at her blankly before giving a disgusted look at Draco.

"Move, Malfoy."

"Draco, let Ron in."

Ron pushed past the Head boy and stood in front of Hermione.

"Could I talk to you –" he glared at Draco and added with emphasis "in private?"

Hermione sighed as she saw the look that Draco sent back to Ron but stood up and went to her room.

"You can't take him into your room!" Draco immediately protested when Hermione opened her portrait and motioned for Ron to go in before her.

"Who are you, my father?" she asked with a roll of her eye.

"I'll tell Dumbledore."

"Wait for me in my room, Ron." She said as she ushered him in and the closed the door behind him. "What is your problem?" she asked, rounding on Draco.

"You can not have him in your room." He said again, lifting his chin a bit.

"And why can't I?" she asked.

"Because I said so. It's my common room too, you know."

"My bedroom is not the common room."

"It's close enough." He whined.

"Ever since you were released from the hospital wing you've been acting like a spoilt child. What is your problem?"

"Weaselbee is my problem. You know I don't like him and yet you invite him over and then invite him up to your room!" he exclaimed, glaring at her.

"Why is it any of your business who I invite up to my room?" she asked, truly curious but refusing to admit it.

"I don't need a reason. I'm Head Boy and if I want something to not happen I can make it not happen."

"That makes absolutely sense whatsoever and you know it," she smirked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a guest."

"You don't have a guest, you have a weasel." the blond clarified quickly.

"I consider him a guest."

"I consider Pansy a guest, then. Can I invite her?" he asked with a smug look. Maybe he thought that she cared about what went on between him and the cow.

"I don't care if you invite the whole Slytherin Quidditch team, as long as they're in your room."

He looked like he'd had the wind taken out of his sails but it got her point across. It was no-one's business who she invited into her private rooms. She was cut off from her train of thought when there was a yell and Draco's door flew open.

"Why the bloody hell do you have this in your room?" he demanded as he stormed toward Draco, a piece of paper clutched in his hand.

"Why were you in my room?"

"Why were you in his room?" Draco and Hermione demanded at the same time.

"That doesn't matter right now. What does matter is what I found. He has your schedule in his room, 'Mione." Ron exclaimed as he waved the piece of parchment in the air.

"He's head boy, he has to know what my schedule is, Ron." she explained slowly, as if talking to a child.

"Then why don't you have one of his?" he asked accusingly. "He's up to something Hermione."

"How do you know that I don't have one of his, Ron? Were you looking through my things?" she asked, horrified at the thought.

Ron turned a bright red and began making excuses, none of which Hermione was in the mood to hear.

"Forget I asked anything, Ron."

"Really, Weasel, I thought you'd be more sensitive towards Granger's personal space."

Hermione glared at Draco at the use of her last name but said nothing and watched as Ron narrowed his eyes at Draco. It was like watching two five year olds fighting over who had the best toy.

"Hermione," Ron groaned, looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Go back into my room and stay there, Ron." she ordered, pointing in the general direction of her room.

"I can't." Hermione gave him a blank stare and tilted her head in annoyance. "I don't have the password."

"It's Emmy." Draco supplied in a smug voice.

Hermione spun around to look at him in shock but soon had her attention focused on Ron, once again.

"So what now, Hermione? You give ferret boy your bloody password but you won't even talk to me. Your best friend?" Ron exploded, stressing the best friend comment a bit too much for Hermione's liking.

"Ron, I don't know how he got my password." She replied honestly.

"Sit down, Hermione. Remember what happened last time he was here?" Draco ordered as he put a hand on the small of her back to guide her to the couch.

"Why is he calling you Hermione? And nothing happened the last time I was here! Why are you letting him tell everyone that I did something bad to you?"

"Ron, please." She sighed as she settled into the couch. "Sit down, we need to talk."

For the first time since he had entered the common room, Ron was silent. He looked at Malfoy then and Hermione and sat down next to her.

"Leave, ferret."

"Stop it, Ron." Hermione snapped, shooting an aggravated look at Ron then turning to give a warning look at Draco. "He already knows so he can stay."

"What does he know that your best friends don't know?" the red head questioned instantly.

"Ron, please."

"Go on, Hermione. He's just like Potter, too nosy for his own good. If you start now he'll stay and listen." Draco sighed as he sat in one of the chairs, his legs slung over one of the arms and his back resting on the other. He leaned his head back and looked over to the couch, where Ron was still sitting looking at Hermione as if she'd lost her mind.

"Thank you, Draco." she said sarcastically, sending him a droll look. He smirked at her but soon returned his attention back to Ron.

"Any time, love." Draco answered with a shrug.

Hermione cringed as she heard the end of the sentence and heard Ron's breath rush out of his lungs.

"Love?" he said in disgust, a look on his face to match his tone.

"That's not important now, Ron." Hermione snapped before she took a calming breath. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you but –"

"Too right you shouldn't have." Ron muttered under his breath, earning a glare from Hermione.

"_But_ I'm nervous about telling you what I have to tell you."

Ron seemed to realize the seriousness that Hermione was trying to convey and moved closer to her, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a brotherly hug.

"It can't be that bad, 'Mione." he said comfortingly, kissing the top of her head.

"Listen to her story, Weasel; then tell her it can't be that bad." Draco sneered at Ron.

Ron stared at Malfoy in shock then turned back to Hermione. If the Slytherin prince thought what happened to Hermione was bad, chances are it was past bad and already halfway through horrible.

"'Mione." Ron said softly, pulling her tightly against him.

"It's bad, Ron." she said, her tone matching his. "It's so bad." Ron felt his heart clench, she sounded broken.

"Shh, Hermione, it's okay." He hushed her, his hand rubbing her back gently and he laid his cheek on the top of her head. He glanced up and saw Malfoy looking at Hermione with a look in his eyes that Ron had never seen before. It was almost as if he was pained to see her like this. Ron shook his head and looked back to Hermione.

"I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to treat me differently." She started to explain, starting to sob.

"Hermione, no matter what you did, I would never treat you differently; you have to know that by now."

"Yes you will, Ron." She told him; though her broken sobs he could hear her stubbornness.

"Just tell me then, Hermione." he told her, not trying to convince her that his actions towards her wouldn't change.

She was silent for along time and Ron took another glance at Malfoy and saw that he was standing and moving towards Hermione.

"It was a long time ago, I was nine." She started, her sobs had subsided but her voice was shaky. "I was at summer camp and…" she broke off when Malfoy sat beside her but continued when he simply put his hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. "And I came home and I couldn't find my parents. They were there, I knew they were. I'd called them from camp before I left and my dad answered and said everything was okay and my mum was baking my favourite dinner. I can't even remember what it was now." She drifted off into silence once more before she started again, her voice slightly firmer. "I opened the door and called for them but they didn't answer, I should have known something was wrong then, but I was so excited to be back that I didn't even think anything was wrong. I went into the kitchen, then the dining room, then the living room. I didn't see them. I was going upstairs when I finally felt something was wrong. I got a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach as I got to the top of the stairs and that is when I heard it. I heard screaming, but it wasn't really screaming." She broke off and looked at Ron with dampened eyes "Does that make any sense?" she asked, a small sad smile gracing her lips but slipping off instantly. "I heard screaming, but it was muffled. I couldn't understand who would be making that noise so I went and tried to find out where it was coming from. It was in the guest bedroom that I found my mum. She was tied up and her mouth was bound so I couldn't understand her. She was staring behind me and trying to tell me something and I turned around. This…this man was there, staring at me." She shuddered as she remembered the look the man gave her and leaned into Draco when he pulled her away from Ron, whose arm had gone limp when she had started the story. She stopped for a time and Draco cleared his throat quietly.

"You told me he attacked you downstairs, Hermione."

"It was easier to tell you that then tell you the truth." she stated tonelessly.

Draco looked at Weasel and would have laughed at the look of disbelief on his face if he himself hadn't been so uneasy about the rest of the memory Hermione was revealing to them.

"That way I didn't have to think about what he did to me or mum."

Draco hated asking the question but he knew he had to, he was almost sick to his stomach because of what she'd revealed already, but she had to feel ten times worse holding it in.

"What did he do, Hermione?" he asked quietly.

"He…he…" she stuttered, tears falling from her eyes as she began to shake.

"You don't have to tell us, 'Mione." Ron said when she'd started to shake, trying to ease her pain.

"Yes she does, Weasel." Draco snapped, his eyes leaving the girl and glaring at Ron. "She needs to talk about it to get over it." He stated.

"No. She's already…"

"She needs to get it out of her! If she holds it inside nothing will ever get better." Draco argued.

"She's crying, how is that making her better?" Ron blasted, standing up and starting to pace in front of them.

"Haven't you ever seen an emotional woman before?" Draco shot back, his voice holding a tone of disbelief.

"Of course I've seen an emotional woman before." Ron said indignantly.

"Then can't you tell she's emotional about something and needs to get it off of her chest?"

"_She_ can hear you both." Hermione interrupted them both and accompanied the statement with a glare to both of the boy's.

A "Sorry, Hermione." was muttered by both boys, a look of surprise shot at Draco from Ron when he heard him say Hermione's name with out a trace of sarcasm in his voice.

"I know I have to talk about it, Draco, but I can't talk about it anymore tonight."

Hermione took a deep breath and stood up, shaking off the hand Draco put on her arm when she said she wouldn't answer anymore about it. She smiled at Ron and stood in front of him to stop his pacing. He looked down at her with surprise in his eyes, as if he'd forgotten she was there, although Hermione couldn't see how that was possible. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned forward to rest her head on his chest and smiled when he brought his arms around her and squeezed her tightly before letting her go, his face a pale red.

"Thank you, Ron." She said as she stepped away from him.

He answered with a smile and a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you."

She smiled at him and nodded, unsure of exactly how to answer.

"I've got to go." he said when Draco cleared his throat from the couch.

"But…" Hermione said, startled.

"I told Harry I was going to the kitchen to get something to eat." Ron told her sheepishly.

"Ron, why would you do something like that, he's prob…"

"Oh, come on Hermione. Lay off for a little bit." Ron said with a roll of his eyes, though his smile stayed it tacked.

"Fine," she said with mock annoyance.

Ron said good bye once more before turning to go to leave. He was at the door when Hermione thought of something.

"Ron, why did you come here tonight?" she asked as he opened the door and was about to step out.

He turned and looked at her before he answered, his gaze travelling over her shoulder every so often. "Some one pointed something out to me I didn't look at before." he said with a shrug before turning around and leaving, closing the door behind him.

Hermione was confused by the answer and turned to ask Draco what he thought but was brought up short when she saw him smiling over her shoulder, where Ron had been moments before.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked, suspicious but not exactly sure why.

Draco wiped the smile off of his face and stared back at her innocently. "What are you talking about?" he asked, a feigned look of confusion on his face.

Hermione sported a genuine look of confusion and looked from the door to him before she sat down next to him.

"Did you really ask me if you could borrow the book?" she asked, changing the subject. She knew the topic of the whole smile deal was slammed closed for now.

He shot her a sideways glance but looked back at the empty fireplace with a smirk before answering. "No, but it sounded better to say I did."

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**Soooo...how'd ya like it?**


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